Lean On Me
by ssbailey
Summary: When JJ is attacked in her own home and almost raped she calls the only person she can think of that will make her feel safe again... JJ/Rossi, MG, Reid/OC, and HP
1. The Lull Before the Storm

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything else you recognize unfortunately. **

**A/N: Okay, I know I promised updates to all my uncompleted stories this weekend, and I ****will**** get to them, it just may be some time next week instead of this weekend. Sorry! I wrote a chapter on this ship for my Song Shuffle earlier today and then my muse just went wild with it. I secretly love this ship now, and since there aren't very many stories out there shipping JJ and Rossi together (I've only found one, actually. How sad!) I decided to give this a go. I'm working on Chapter One right now, so it should be up soon. Please read and review if you like this, but if you're not a fan please don't flame in the reviews, just don't read it. WARNING…SITUATIONS REVOLVING AROUND RAPE AND ATTEMPTED RAPE…don't read if that will bother you or offend you because that is not my intention. And please let me know if anything seems a little OOC for an attempted rape/rape victim. I have personally never been in that situation so all I know is from what I've read and seen on TV on the subject, and I want this to be as real as possible. So let me know if there is something I can do to improve this! That all being said…I hope you like it! OH and the quote is a mix of two sets of lyrics from Joe Purdy and the band Civil Twilight.**

**P.S. This starts out JJ/Rossi friendship, but then moves to JJ/Rossi relationship. There might be one or two other ships in this story, but the main one will be JJ/Rossi.**

**Prologue**

"_Cause there's people out there screaming…They linger in the air…And I heard the birds today and wished I was anywhere but here…" _

Jennifer Jareau sat on her window seat in a state of almost catatonia. Her attacker was long gone; the only visible traces of him were the bruises that covered her body, all but her face, her trashed living room, and her ripped skirt. Replaying the events of the past weeks in her mind over and over like a broken record, she sat staring out at the rain, it was almost like the heavens were crying the tears she could not bring herself to shed.

She knew the statistics, knew that according to studies done by her very own team, that most women knew their rapists. She'd thought he was a nice guy, Steve Davis, if that was even his real name, had been pursuing her for weeks, but something had always gotten in the way of them getting together, until tonight. If she had only gone out with the rest of the team maybe this wouldn't have happened to her, maybe she would've been safe. She'd originally thought he was going to kill her, but just as she felt his hands tighten around her neck, he suddenly let go again and ran out of the apartment like a scared animal. JJ didn't know what had scared him off, but she didn't care, she was just glad that he was gone, gone before he could do anything more than stick his horrible, disgusting fingers inside her. Thank God he hadn't been able to get any farther.

She'd bathed three times now, scrubbing each time until she almost bled, trying to wash the smell of his cologne off of her, but none of it was working. She knew she should call someone, maybe Emily or Penelope, but she didn't want them seeing her like this, especially after Battle. No, she knew there was only one person she could call that would make her feel safe, make her feel clean again, make her feel alright again.

Picking up her cell phone, her first movement in hours, she dialed a familiar number, one she'd been calling a lot lately, and held the phone up to her ear. It was answered almost instantly, even with it being well past two in the morning.

"Rossi"

"Dave...its JJ." She started quietly, trying not to break down; even though it was obvious to a trained profiler she was upset. "Can...Can you come over?"

"I'm on my way. Don't move okay?"

"Okay" She said quietly followed by an even quieter "Thanks" before hanging up.


	2. Fire Burning Bright

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, or Walmart, or anything else you recognize! Dang it!!**

**A/N: Okay so this chapter gave me fits a little more than I'd hoped for, but I think it turned out okay. I have a little free time this afternoon so I'm going to start on chapter two and hopefully it'll get posted sometime later today or early tomorrow. The beginning may be a little bumpy, but it should get better once they get to Rossi's cabin. If anyone has any ideas please share them! I need all the help I can get. OH and I know you probably know this from every other story you've read on here but if it's in italics that means it's a thought, deal? I'll let you know if it means anything different. promise! OH and I know I forgot to have them check on the neighbors so just pretend there aren't any. OH and for those of you who don't know what a duplex apartment is, it's basically a house that's split down the middle on the outside, but on the inside it looks like two townhouses attached by a center wall. I know that's probably not the best explanation but Google will probably do a better job of explaning than me in that respect. Oh and I know the team didn't really have much of a role in this chapter, but they will have more of a place as this thing gets going. And I'll explain why Emily stayed back at Quantico soon! Oh and Molly is Dave's sister in law. Okay here we go...**

**Chapter One**

_"The wind is gone...Asleep at dawn...The embers burn on...With no reprise...The sun will rise...The long day is almost over..."- Norah Jones_

_--_

_"SAY IT! Say my name damn it!" Steve Davis screamed at her as he removed his hands from inside her and placed them around her neck and began to squeeze..._

"JJ! C'mon you've gotten open the door sweetheart...It's Dave." The loud banging brought JJ out of her waking nightmare just before her door was forced open and she defensively grabbed for the closest weapon she could find and held it up ready to strike anyone who came near her.

"JJ wait! It's me, Dave! You called me remember?" He asked gently as she allowed him to take the heavy silver candlestick from her and sit it on the floor. "Sweetheart what happened here? Who did this to you? Was it that detective who picked you up from work tonight?"

She didn't answer only threw her arms around him, and clung to him before nodding almost imperceptively into his chest. "Can...Can I stay with you? I...I just don't want to be here anymore. Please Dave."

He had already planned on letting her stay with him when he'd heard how upset she was on the phone, if she needed to, but now listening to her plead and beg with him to take her with him was almost too much for him, "Of course, Sweetheart, you can stay with me." Rossi said barely holding back the tears forming in his eyes. "But first we need to go to the hospital and have them photograph your brusies so we can arrest the bastard who did this to you okay?"

"NO! No please Dave, please I can't go to the hospital. please!" She said sitting straight up and looking him in the eye for the first time since he'd gotten there almost thirty five minutes ago. "Isn't there someone that could come take the pictures at your house? Please?"

Sighing he nodded, "I'll call a friend of mine who works over at Georgetown Memorial and see if she can come over and take the pictures in the morning okay? Why don't you go get some of your things together while I call her."

She nodded again and almost reluctantly let him go before hesitantly walking towards her bedroom in the small duplex apartment. Blinking away the tears in his eyes Dave opened his phone, dialed the number, and was just about to hit the call button when he heard JJ screaming from somewhere in her bedroom and took off running towards the noise.

"NO! PLEASE DON'T! PLEASE!" JJ screamed at the man outside her window who was holding a lit match to a bottle filled with a rag and gasoline. _Why was this happening to her?_ "PLEASE! I WON'T TELL ANYONE STEVE PLEASE!"

Rossi barely caught a glimpse of the man before he tossed the lit fire bomb into JJ's bedroom window and walked off into the night. The next few moments were a blur, Dave was in a daze as he grabbed JJ's hand and pulled her out of the room, through the living room, and out her front door onto the street just before the bomb exploded and her apartment lit up like nothing Rossi had ever seen in his thirty some years in law enforcement.

After quickly curling a sobbing JJ into his side Dave had his phone open quicker than he'd possibly ever had it open before. "Hotch! Get the team and get over to JJ's apartment NOW! Some bastard just blew the thing up that's why! Get your ass here now!" He hung up before Hotch could say anything else and opened his phone to dial 911 just as he heard the sirens coming down the now deserted street and stopping right in front of them before getting to work putting out the flames.

--

Sitting on the sidewalk a few houses down on the opposite side of the road still clinging to each other was how the team found them some thirty minutes later, the small duplex was almost put out and the firemen were beginning to pack up some of the larger firefighting equipment.

"Hotch! We're over here!" Dave screamed when he finally saw the familiar black SUV pull up and its occupants pile out and begin to look around.

"Dave! What the hell happened?" Hotch almost demanded as he and the team jogged over to where Dave and JJ sat on the curb.

"JJ called me about two hours ago pretty upset and asked me to come over, so I came and well..." Dave started almost hesitantly because he really hadn't had the chance to ask JJ about the details of what happened, but he had a pretty good idea that she'd been raped and beaten heavily even though he couldn't see the bruises on her legs from the jogging pants she now wore, and he had no clue if JJ would want him to tell the rest of the team.

"Well what?" Hotch demanded again, it scared him when memebers of his team were targeted by the people they worked to catch everyday. He was just silently thanking God that Dave had been there with JJ when the fire had started.

A small, almost imperceptive "It's okay" floated to Dave's ears from the person who clung to his side and if he had any doubts that she'd actually said it, the tightening of her arms around his middle in reassurance changed his mind. "The apartment was trashed Hotch. She's bruised and cut up from head to toe, all except her face, what do you think happened?" Dave said a little snappier than he'd meant, but when he saw anger flash in his friend's eyes he knew the younger man had figured it out and so had Reid and Morgan who were with him. "Well when I got here I had to bust down the door with my shoulder because she wouldn't or couldn't come to the door, and then by the time I had convinced her to get some of her things together and come stay with me so I could call ERT to come work on her apartment the guy came back. She saw him out her bedroom window while she was getting her clothes together, I was in the other room making a phone call to a friend who works at Georgetown Memorial to see if she could come and take pictures of JJ's brusies at the cabin since she refused to go to the hospital, but before I could even press the call button I heard her screaming at him, Hotch. When I got to the doorway to see why she was screaming I saw him, just barely, before he threw the fire bomb through the window and we ran like hell to get out of there."

"Okay Morgan you call ERT and get them to send the Arson response team over here and see if they can get any evidence from JJ's apartment. Reid you call Garcia and Emily back at Quantico and let them know what's going on. And Dave you take JJ out to your cabin and keep her safe while we figure this out, you've still got that security system up and running?" Hotch said taking control of the situation.

"You know I do, Aaron. She said it was that detective who picked her up last night from work and she called him Steve when she was screaming at him through the window. See if Garcia can get a good look at him on the security cameras from the parking garage, I have a feeling running his face through the FBI database is going to be our best shot at catching him." Dave said while he and JJ stood up never letting go of each other. "I'll take her by a walmart near the cabin and let her get a few clothes since everything's gone from her apartment, and then she can order some better things online and I'll have them sent to my brother's in Richmond and Molly can drive them out so we won't have any strangers knowing where the cabin is."

By the time Hotch nodded his okay Dave was already helping JJ into his Jeep before getting in himself and driving off.

**A/N # 2- JJ has changed clothes since her attack and before Rossi got to her apartment. She's wearing what would basically be considered PJ's...jogging pants, a long sleeve t-shirt, and flip flops...not that you would sleep in flip flops but I don't want her to be barefoot outside and all since her house just blew up and she has nothing. So just pretend that she put them on when she went to get her clothes together in her room. :) **


	3. Making Plans

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or the City of Norfolk, Virginia. haha. :) **

**Chapter Two**

_"Unfortunately, the balance of nature decrees that a super-abundance of dreams is paid for by a growing potential for nightmares." -Peter Ustinov_

_--_

Dave sighed as he slid down the wall outside his bedroom at his cabin where JJ was sleeping. He finally let his silent tears fall down his face as he cried for the woman he'd secretly come to love and the things that had happened to her in the last twenty four hours. He almost felt responsible for what happened to her, maybe if he'd only been man enough to tell her how he felt she wouldn't have gone out with "Steve" and maybe this wouldn't have happened to her. If he was honest with himself though he'd have to say he was worried about her. She hadn't let go of him once since they'd left her burning apartment around four that morning and it was now almost 9am. She'd refused to try on anything in the Walmart dressing rooms without him so they just purchased what size she would've normally worn in most of the items and the rest they'd just simply guessed with the help of a sweet older woman who worked in the Women's department. He'd gotten her plenty of socks and a few pairs of cheap tennis shoes that would last her until her new clothes arrived, that she would order as soon as she woke up because he knew she had to be freezing in the cold December air in her flip flops.

Shirley had come over around 6am to take the pictures of her bruises and the only way they were able to get her to have the pictures taken without him being in the room was by having Shirley show JJ her hosptial ID card over and over and have Dave promise to just be right outside the door. By the time the pictures were taken, she was examined for internal bleeding and broken bones, and her cuts were all bandaged it was nearly an hour since Shirley had arrived and Dave knew JJ had to be getting antsy, and to be honest he almost needed to see her, check on her to make sure she was okay, but just as he was about to knock on the door and check on them she and Shirley came out and he felt relief wash over him as he gave her a once over with his eyes, checking for himself that she was really okay. Shirley had given JJ a prescription for medication to help her with the pain and to help her sleep, but for the most part JJ was doing very well, medically speaking. She had no internal bleeding and no broken bones, just a few shallow cuts, a pretty deep gash on the back of her head, and the bruises. By the time Shirley left it was well past seven thirty in the morning, but not until she'd explained to both JJ and Dave how JJ was supposed to take her medication, bandage her cuts and gashes, and to call her if anything went wrong.

He'd gotten her to take another shower to get the ash and soot out of her hair and the little bit that was on her skin off. He'd cut up plastic sandwhich bags and used medical tape to place them over her fresh bandages so she wouldn't get them wet while she was showering. The one in her hair caused a small problem and he'd ended up washing her hair for her in the kitchen sink because she couldn't see to wash around the bandage on the back of her head that was near her hairline. Once she was clean and dressed in a pair of her new pajama's and socks, they'd made breakfast together because she needed to eat with her pain medication, and then he could tell she was fading. She had to be tired, hell he was, and all this stuff had happened to her. He'd only been an observer.

He'd laid down with her for a good twenty minutes until she fell asleep and then he'd jumped in the shower himself and started quietly putting away most of her new things and the large amount of groceries they'd bought because his cabinets had been close to empty the last time he'd been up to the cabin. He hadn't even realized that he was hurridly putting the things away until he finished and realizied that it had only taken him a little over thirty minutes to shower and get everything up in the drawers and cabinets, and get the dishwasher running. It was only after he checked on her again that he let himself finally relax a bit, seeing that she was still sleeping somewhat peacefully after almost an hour, and that's how he'd now found himself silently crying on the floor outside his bedroom.

Wiping his eyes and getting up he prepared to head over to the couch, which was directly visible from the bedroom so JJ could see him if she woke up, he heard her begin tossing and turning a little like she was in the beginnings of a nightmare. He knew the nightmares were inevitable, but for some reason he found himself hoping that she wouldn't be plauged with them. Sitting on the bed and gently touching her shoulder so not to frieghten her or irritate her deep purple bruises he noticed her still when she felt his touch before her eyes shot open and began to dart around the room.

"Relax JJ. It's just me. You were starting to have a nightmare." Dave whispered softly as he pushed some of her hair out of her face. He knew she normally slept with it in a ponytail at night, but with the gash on the back of her head she wouldn't be doing that for a while.

She nodded and he saw her visibly relax when she realized where she was and that she was safe. When he saw her start to fade again he eased off the bed intent on making his way back towards the couch until he felt her small hand once again encase his larger one. "Stay with me. Please Dave?"

He didn't answer just motioned for her to scoot over and laid down beside her and pulled the covers up over them. He was just about asleep from exhaustion when he felt her turn on her side and pull his arm around her before snuggling into him as they both fell asleep with exhaustion overtaking them.

--

It was JJ who woke up first hours later to realize the sun was already going down and at some point while they were sleeping she'd rolled over to face Dave and her head was now resting comfortably just below his chin and his arms were wrapped around her, strong enough to make her feel comfortable and safe, but soft enough to keep from hurting her bruises. Sighing contendly she skillfully scooted herself up higher on the bed so she could be face to face with him, but not wake him up, and let her fingers play with his soft dark hair. If she were honest with him, and herself, she'd thought about waking up like this many times before, and the dreams often ended up with one of them getting up to take care of a baby who slept in the next room or being ambushed by a two year old jumping on the bed intent on tickling his mommy and daddy. But the best way the dreams ended up was when they ended up with them getting to know each and every inch of each other's body over and over again. Even after all that had happened to her in the past day or so she knew that when, or if, the time came for she and Dave to get together in that way she'd be okay with that because she trusted him completely and she knew he'd never hurt her. He'd taken such good care of her already and they had only been starting to become friends, hanging out once a week or so depending on cases and consults. If she were honest with herself she'd have to admit she liked David Rossi a lot, which suprised her and excited her at the same time.

Her hand stilled in his hair when she noticed his eyes begin to flutter open. "Hello sleepy head."

"Hi babe" Dave replied sleepily, the endearment slipping out with his still sleep filled mind getting closer to waking up, "What time is it?"

"I don't know, it's dark outside now though." JJ said smiling at their easy relationship and his use of a nickname for her.

"It's just after 7pm" Rossi said looking at his watch, "how did we sleep so long?"

"I don't know, but I'm starving." JJ answered and they both laughed when her stomach grumbled its agreement.

"Why don't you get cleaned up and I'll fix us something to eat okay?" JJ nodded and they both reluctanly got out of bed and to set about their desired tasks.

--

"So how come you've never cooked like this for me before David Matthew Rossi?" JJ said pretending to be stern as he sat a steaming plate of chicken alfredo in front of her before sitting down with his own plate across from her.

"I don't know" Dave sighed dramatically for her amusement relieved to finally be getting her to smile again "Maybe because you're too controlling in the kitchen. Every time we spend time together you're always the one who kicks me out of the kitchen because I'm 'in the way' " He said, finishing his statment by putting 'in the way' in air quotes.

"Yea, Yea" JJ said smiling as she dug into her food, she felt like she hadn't eaten in days, "just be quiet and eat mister."

Chuckling Dave added "Okay, but then I guess you don't wanna know where my laptop and my credit card are so you can order tons of new clothes then right?"

"Seriously?" JJ asked wide eyed like a kid in the candy store.

"Of course sweetheart. You can't wear sweats forever, besides I was thinking of having a Christmas party for some friends here at the cabin, and if you're going to be my date you're going to need something nice to wear."

"Ok but only on two conditions." JJ added with a michevious smirk.

"Give it to me straight JJ." Dave replied his tone all serious but his eyes matched hers in playfulness.

"If we're going have a Christmas party we have to go into Norfolk tomorrow and get a tree and some decorations and if I'm going to be your date to this party then you'll have to agree to be my date to the work party. Deal?" She finished by offering her hand up to shake.

"Well..." Dave started knowing that his being so indecisive would drive her crazy, "Okay deal."

"Well then Mr. Rossi it looks like you've got yourself a date."

"I guess it does." Rossi said smiling once again at the comfortable relationship between the two of them. It was almost as if they were just a happy couple enjoying dinner, almost.


	4. Small Miracles and Big Surprises

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything else you recognize. pity.**

**A/N: Okay one I realize that it seems like JJ and Dave's relationship is moving along rather quickly, but it'll slope off here soon for a while. Remember they had already basically been through the get to know you stage before hand, even if they were just friends, but on the on one hand they haven't even kissed yet. JJ is most definitely still healing from the attack, both emotionally and physically, we just haven't seen it as much in this chapter and the last one but I'm going to be showing in more in these next few chapters. Especially the one where the team visits. Also, please keep in mind that Rossi isn't driving a Jeep, Jeep, he's driving the SUV kind of Jeep which will make sense why I'm clarifying that when you read this chapter. Also I know JJ and Rossi are a little OOC, but I think they way we see them on the show is how they are at work and this may be how they are at home. Plus in the beginning stages of most relationships are usually filled with tons of flirting and such, but since we don't have the such because of the attack we get an over abundance of flirting. The next chapter should be a pretty long one and I'm hoping to have it up by Wednesday morning, but I'm not promising anything. I've got the skeleton of it written out, but I still need to fill in some of the parts and proof read and all and I've gotta work all day tomorrow so it might not get done, but I'm going to try my best! Anyways thanks for reading and I hope you like this one! Please review as well. :)**

**Chapter Three**

_"This is the message of Christmas: We are never alone." -Taylor Caldwell, English Novelist_

_--_

David Rossi couldn't remember a time when he had bought so many clothes before let alone Christmas lights and decorations. JJ had insisted that they needed to put lights on the outside of the house as well as on the tree and the mantle and by the time they finally left Target they'd almost completely bought the store out of one brand of colored lights all together. She'd also insisted that they needed a real Christmas tree, not one of those fake ones from a store. He secretly thought she wanted a real one because it would give her something to do if he had to go back to work for a few hours or so, but he doubted she'd ever tell him that.

Next up were the ornaments. JJ had surprised him with her almost intimate knowledge of Norfolk, the city closest to his cabin, it seemed she just knew where all the specialty shops were. All his ex-wives had always wanted a fake tree with white lights and some sort of theme with the ornaments, but not JJ and he loved that about her. She didn't care if one of the reindeer was missing an antler or if a snowman was missing his top hat, according to her that gave them character and it seemed she loved the broken ones more than the ones that had all the right pieces. "All that matters is that we love them, no matter what they look like" she'd told him with her eyes sparkling like a child at Christmas instead of an adult.

Another thing he noticed about her while they were shopping was that she hardly ever let go of his hand, if that was because she was afraid of losing him or if that was because she wanted to hold it he didn't know, but he hoped it was the latter. He could still feel her hands running through his hair when he closed his eyes and he smiled just thinking about it.

"So what's got you smiling your best smile today Mr. Rossi?" She'd gotten to where she called him that when she was teasing him, and for the first time in his life being called 'Mister' didn't bother him at all.

He looked over at her as they started making their second trip to the car with arms loaded with three bags of ornaments and two bags of miscellaneous decorations that had some how managed to make their way into the basket before they'd gotten to the register. He'd have to be careful or JJ would have him sleeping on Christmas sheets in Rudolph pajamas. "Nothing" he said nonchalantly as they finally made it back to his Jeep.

"Nothing huh?" JJ said as she playfully tapped her foot suprised at how at ease she felt with him even this close to her attack.

"Okay well maybe not nothing. It's just I've never seen someone so excited about Christmas before. I kinda like having someone to enjoy it with this year." Dave said honestly and he could've sworn he saw her blush even though it was hard to tell with her wind chapped cheeks. "Okay so what else do we need to get before we go across town to pick up the tree?"

"Thanks. I'm glad to have someone to spend Christmas with this year too." JJ said smiling softly as she lifted the last small bag of ornaments into the trunk and shut it. "I think we're almost done here but we need to find something to put on top of the tree and there's a specialty candle shop around the corner from here where I'd like to go and get some candles to put on that huge mantle you have."

"Okay but then before we go get the tree I have a surprise for you" Rossi added as they walked into another department store filled with shoppers.

"Oh Dave what you're doing is the best thing anyone has ever done for me, you don't have to keep surprising me with things" JJ said as she started to feel a little guilty, like maybe he thought she was only spending time with him because he was buying her things, which was absolutely not true, she just wished he knew exactly how much she wanted to spend time with him.

"Don't worry I know, but I like surprising you. Besides if we're going to the formal work party we're both going to need something to wear. Now come on we're supposed to meet Claudia at 11am, it's just right up this escalator and to the left."

"Claudia? Who's Claudia? Should I be worried?" JJ asked both confused about who Claudia was and excited enough to still be teasing him.

"You should never be worried" Rossi replied in all seriousness as they locked eyes during the ride up the escalator.

"Good" Came her reply when she saw in his eyes that he ment what he was saying "Neither should you."

Their moment was broken however when possibly the shortest Italian woman JJ had ever seen started shouting at them in her native language. "Nipote che ha possesso tu lungo?"(Nephew why are you late?)

"spiacente Zia Clausola. Abbiamo stato verso quattro della qualitê che si puå trovare in un grande magazzino giê stamattina!" Dave said sighing as the three began walking towards the formal wear section of the store. (I'm sorry Aunt Claudia, but we've been to three stores already this morning!)

"David dovresti sapere meglio di verso vergogna tuo ritardo acceso tuo amica. Ho sicuramente insegnato tu meglio di quello." his Aunt said chidingly. (David! You know better than to blame your tardiness on your girlfriend! I taught you better than that, yes?)

"IO sapere , Sono spiacente. CosØ che fare tu pensare?" Dave asked starting to feel bad for spending so much time talking to his Aunt, but JJ was already immersed in the dress racks that were nearest to them. (I know, I'm sorry. So what do you think?)

"Lei Ÿ molto bello simile tu detto più presto sul telefono. Presente introdurre me verso suo." Aunt Claudia said as she pointed to the little blond woman in a deep green turtleneck and dark jeans. (I think she's even more beautiful than you said on the phone. Now introduce us.)

"Aunt Claudia I'd like you to meet Jennifer Jaraeu." Rossi said as he watched JJ shake hands with his Aunt.

"Oh please call me JJ, ma'am." JJ replied already extremely comfortable with the little woman before her.

Claudia nodded before grabbing JJ's hand and almost dragging her through the aisles of formal dresses while shouting to her nephew to find a seat by the dressing rooms and get comfortable, this was going to take a while.

--

Knowing JJ was safe and in good hands with his beloved Aunt Claudia, Dave made his way over to the dressing rooms and sat on one of the leather couches just outside the doors with all the other men waiting on someone. He knew Hotch had been calling him all morning, but he hadn't wanted to answer the phone in front of JJ incase it was something bad relating to the case, so he decided to use this time to call Aaron back, he had a feeling he was going to be waiting for a while anyways. Hitting speed dial number two on his phone he put it up to his ear and waited.

"Hotchner"

"Aaron, It's Dave."

"Dave thank God. Emily and Garcia have been driving us all crazy because they haven't been able to get in touch with you and JJ since the explosion. How is everything?"

"Listen Hotch just tell them everything's fine, JJ's fine. We've been out getting Christmas decorations all morning and now she's trying on dresses with my Aunt for the FBI Christmas party while I get stuck sitting outside the dressing rooms for the next hour or so."

Hotch chuckled and smiled one of his rare smiles, he knew his friend felt more than friendship for the young media liaison and from the sound of things she felt the same way too. To know for sure though he'd have to find a way to observe them together. "Sounds like fun. Well I just wanted to update you on JJ's case."

"Okay what have we got?" Dave asked all business now.

"Well you were right about having Garcia try to get his picture of the parking garage camera feed. We've got a very clear picture of him, and Garcia ran it through all the normal databases and came up with a name. His real name is Steve Daniels and he just made detective with the Virginia State PD. Before that he'd been close to being dishonorably discharged from the Army for dis-conduct until he was transfer ed to the Military Police K-9 Unit at Fort Belvoir where he managed to finish out his last two years and barely get his honorable discharge papers. Once he got out he applied to the National Parks Service, the FBI Police, and the Virginia State Police and then took the job with the State Police when they were the only ones to offer him an interview. It looks like everywhere he goes a string of peeping tom complaints follow him, which if this were in court it could be argued as being just circumstantial, but you and I both know that isn't likely true. Have you been able to get any of the details of what happened from JJ?"

Signing for what seemed like the millionth time that day Dave started "No, she hasn't said anything yet, but I saw some of the pictures Shirley took of her and I've seen the bruise patterns on her arms and neck. This guy's a sexual serial murder waiting to happen Hotch. I don't know why he didn't finish the job, but he obviously strangled her enough to leave pretty definite patterns on her neck, they were so dark this morning she cried when she was getting dressed. She also has a pretty deep gash on the back of her head where it looks like he tried to knock her out when he realized that strangling her while she was struggling was getting to difficult, but I don't think he managed to get her unconscious though. She's only had one nightmare so far, I'm almost worried she might be blocking out what happened. Anyways have you found Daniels yet?"

"I sent Morgan and SWAT over to his apartment but he hasn't been there in days, maybe weeks. It looks like he just keeps the apartment so he can have a place to send his checks to every month. We put a BOLO out on him and have round the clock survelliance on his apartment in case he comes back. We've also notified his superiors to detain him and call us immediately if he shows up at work."

"Okay let me know if anything changes. Listen why don't you, Morgan, Reid, and the girls come out to the cabin for dinner Sunday night. I'm sure JJ would love to see the team. Strauss sent some poor junior agent out with her new cell phone, gun, and badge this morning. I think the kid drove around for about an hour before he found the place." Rossi said amusement evident in his voice.

"It was probably Anderson, I think he might even get lost looking for Garcia's office. That sounds good about dinner on Sunday. I'll mention it to the others before we leave today. How's seven sound?"

"Sounds good. I'll tell JJ. I think seeing the team will do her good. Anyways I've gotta go before Aunt Claudia kills JJ. She's got the poor sales girl carrying her weight in dresses to the dressing room for JJ to try on. I'll talk to you soon Hotch."

"Okay keep her safe Dave and we'll see you Sunday night."

"Will do." Rossi said hanging up before helping the poor teenage sales girl carry all of some thirty dresses, some of which he was sure JJ hadn't picked out due to the huge bows and floral prints that covered them, but he helped carry them none the less.

--

After reassuring JJ that she looked good in every dress, even the bow covered floral ones, Rossi was hoping they finally had it narrowed down to two dresses. One was a gold color that reminded him of champagne that was long sleeved and covered her completely up to her neck on the front, but showed almost all of her back until just before her lower back started, and the other was an emerald green color, which reminded him of, well Christmas, and it was a silky material that came up in a halter top around her neck, but showed hardly any cleavage at all, and the bottom was higher in the front than in the back. JJ and the sales girl had assured him that it was supposed to be like that, but he still had his doubts.

Finally, after what seemed like half an hour of JJ trying them both on and taking them both off and then repeating that same action, she finally decided on the gold one because it would cover more of her bruises if they hadn't all healed yet, after all the party was only in two weeks time. Dave had already explained JJ's situation to his Aunt before they met her at the department store, and he was glad to see that she had barely paid any attention to the bruises and so had the sales girl after he'd explained some of what happened to JJ without telling every detail, the teenager didn't need to know about the sexual assault, and he thought that them not seeing just her bruises had helped liven JJ's spirits a little and remind her that she was still beautiful. Even with her hair pulled over to one side in a lopsided low ponytail to cover the bandage for the gash on her head she was still beautiful and he hoped she knew that.

Once they paid for JJ's dress and the sales girl put it in a protective plastic cover for them, they'd headed down to the men's department and had them match a tie to JJ's dress for the party before saying goodbye and parting ways with Aunt Claudia who was heading back over to the family restaurant across town that she and her husband had owned for over fifty years. After putting the new items in the car they headed out one last time in search of a tree topper and the candle store which JJ mentioned that was within walking distance from where the car was parked. Dave wasn't so sure too many more items would even fit in the car anyways so he was glad they were almost finished.

As they passed the last alleyway before the candle store JJ suddenly stopped still where she was standing causing several shoppers to give them dirty looks before they went around them.

"JJ, what is it? What's wrong?" Dave asked seriously hoping she didn't see Daniels in the crowd. That would mean this guy was more methodical than they'd originally thought if he'd followed them all the way to Norfolk.

"Shh! Listen do you hear that? It sounds like a baby crying. In there Dave, we have to go check it out. It's cold out here and if it is a baby it could die if we don't help it." JJ asked her eyes almost pleading. She knew that under normal circumstances you weren't supposed to go into alleyways because you heard a noise, but with Dave with her, and he had his gun, she thought they'd be safe.

At first he looked at her like she was crazy, full blown crazy, until the crowd cleared a little and he heard the tiny cry too. "Okay but just stay behind me. We both know the risks of this situation." They did know, all too well. Many serial killers used bait to lure their victim's into secluded areas before grabbing them.

The alleyway was cold and damp due to some of the snow melting off of the near by buildings from the heat of the sun, but once Rossi had cleared the small alley JJ found where the noise was coming from. A small baby girl with pale white skin was still covered in afterbirth and wrapped in an old sheet by one of the dumpsters. Dave took off his fleece vest and gave it to JJ to wrap the tiny baby in before he dialed the police to come to the scene and once they arrived, and he identified them as FBI agents, JJ rode in the ambulance with the little girl while he followed in the Jeep to St. Margaret's hospital which was only a few blocks away.

Once they got to the hospital they took the baby back to work on her, clean her up, and make sure she was okay and JJ was left in the waiting room to wait, and that was how Dave found her when he came through the ER doors. She was sitting in one of the chairs in the farthest corner of the room that was still visible from the door so she could see him if he came through the sliding glass doors, and he noticed one of the nurses had given her something to clean her shirt up a little from the tiny bit of afterbirth she'd gotten on her from holding the baby. He sat down beside her and they just sat there a while before she reached out and grabbed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder.

"How could someone just leave her out there like that?" JJ whispered sadly, "She's so little and scared. And they just left her out there to die like she was yesterday's garbage."

"I know babe." Dave said just as sad before squeezing her hand reassuringly and kissing her forehead, "Did they tell you anything before I got here?"

"No, they just took her and said they'd come out and let me know what was going on when they'd finished." JJ said watching the doors the baby had gone through for signs of her coming back out, "Hey Dave?"

"Yea?" He asked already knowing what she was about to ask him and he'd been considering it already, after all the little girl really didn't have anywhere to go.

"Can we take her home with us? I mean I know it's a lot, especially with everything that's been going on, but I just can't leave her here knowing that someone just threw her out and with it being almost Christmas..." JJ asked knowing she was asking alot, but knowing that the little girl deserved someone who would take care of her and she knew that they could do that for her.

"I think that's a great idea JJ" Dave said smiling at the big generous heart of the woman next to him, "Depending on what they say when the doctor comes out we can go get her some of the basic stuff before we go pick up the tree okay?" He really didn't know when he'd suddenly jumped from single, three time divorcee to a guy in a relationship and possibly a tiny baby's parent, but as much as he would've thought it would've freaked him out with all that commitment it really didn't. He was just about to say something else when the doctor approached them.

"Are you the two FBI agents who brought in the baby girl about an hour ago who was found in an alley way?" the young Asian doctor asked when he approached them.

"Yes" JJ said shaking his hand as she and Dave stood up to greet the doctor, "I'm Jennifer Jareau and this is David Rossi. How is she doing?"

"It's nice to meet you both, I'm Dr. Paul Lee. She seems to be doing very well to have been outside after just being born Agent Jareau. She had a slight fever when she came in, but we've been giving her antibiotics through an IV and it's been coming back down. We gave her a bath and fed her, but for the most part I didn't find anything wrong with her during my general observations."

"But she's so tiny." JJ added in a loud whisper.

"Yes, well that can sometimes be the case with teenage mothers or if the mother doesn't take care of herself properly during the pregnancy, but whatever the case was in this situation the baby seems to be fine despite everything that has happened to her." Dr. Lee told them, "Now would you like us to alert social services?"

"No!" JJ yelled at him on accident and a few of the people in the waiting room started to stare.

"Sorry Doctor. What she means is we'd like to take her home with us if she's well enough to leave today. We're both registered foster parents because of work so all we would need would be a case worker to sign off on the forms." Dave answered the Doctor who look startled after JJ's small outburst.

"Well that seems like an okay idea. We've actually got a caseworker who's already here with another case if you could just wait here I'll have a nurse bring the baby out and you can hold her while you wait for the caseworker." Doctor Lee said to both JJ and Dave, "And for the record you two are probably some of the most generous people I've ever met. Not many people who go into a dark alley because they thought they heard a noise and even if they did even less of them would actually want to take that baby home."

"Thank you very much doctor" JJ said softly as the nurse came out the doors and brought the baby over to them in a small car seat from the ones they gave to all the underprivileged babies and Dave made a mental note to get a better one before going home later.

"Ok here she is." the short chubby nurse said as she handed JJ the tiny baby girl who immediately snuggled into her, "Hi yall! I'm Nurse Abbey and I'm usually all over the place around here so if you need anything while you're here just let me or the Nurse at the desk know. Now I put some formula in that small diaper bag which should last the rest of the day, but you'll have to get some more for tonight and from then on. I also put some extra blankets in there that you can wrap her up in since it's getting pretty chilly out there until you can get her home and into something warmer." She paused as the baby cooed and looked up at JJ, "Oh look she loves you Agent Jareau. Anyways Mrs. Paula should be out here in a few minutes, she's the case worker you'll be dealing with. Oh and I also set you guys up with a few diapers and wipes too, but you know babies, they go through diapers quickly. And Doctor Lee already had her antibiotic prescription filled for you and it's in the bag too with the instructions."

"Oh thanks you guys, you really didn't have to go to all that trouble for us" JJ said smiling down at the baby.

"Oh it was nothing ma'am" Abby replied as she saw Mrs. Paula walk out the doors and waved her over, "I'm just glad our girl has some place warm to go tonight. This is Mrs. Paula and she'll be taking care of you now. It was nice meeting yall. Merry Christmas." Abby replied before she and Dr. Lee got back to work and Dave, JJ, and the baby sat down with the woman they'd come to know as Mrs. Paula.

After almost forty five minutes of paper work later and Dave and JJ were ready to take the baby home except they were missing one major detail, she needed a name. "Okay now one last thing" Mrs. Paula told the new parents "What are you planning on calling her?"

"Oh umm...I guess we really hadn't thought about that. Can you give us a second to talk it over?" JJ said and Mrs. Paula nodded her "sure" before going down the hall to get some coffee from the Nurse's station.

"What do you think we should call her Dave?" JJ asked, as she ran her finger over the baby's forehead.

"Well since we're in St.Margaret's hospital what about Margaret, but Maggie for short?" Dave asked as he took the baby in his arms.

"But what about a middle name?" JJ asked, "What about Margaret Catherine Rossi?"

"Well ladies and gents have you decided on a name for her?" Mrs. Paula asked as she returned from the Nurse's station with her coffee.

"I think we have" Dave said smiling at the tiny pink bundle in his arms, "We'd like to call her Margaret Catherine and Maggie for short."

"Oh that's very beautiful" Mrs. Paula said filling out the last form they needed to sign, "Which of your last names would you like to use?"

"His" JJ said without reservation as she signed the sheet offered to her and took the baby so Dave could sign.

"Well that's it. Welcome to the world of parenting you two. Congratulations!" Mrs. Paula said before she headed off to the elevator to go back to the pediatric ward for her next case.

"Wow. Did we really just do this? Did we really just agree to be this baby's parents?" JJ asked, the reality of the situation sinking in.

"Yea we did" Dave said chuckling as they headed out to where he'd parked the Jeep in the Emergency parking spaces which were close to the door.

After they got baby Maggie settled in the back seat with JJ sitting beside her, Dave got in the driver's seat they headed off back to the department stores to get all the baby stuff they'd need for the next couple days until JJ could get some stuff ordered on-line that they'd need like a crib and a changing table and all the bigger items.

They spent the next hour stocking up on onesies, baby bottles, formula, baby wipes, diapers, pacifiers, clothes, socks, blankets, a car seat, a small bed for Maggie to sleep in until her bed arrived, and even a few pairs of tiny shoes. They also quickly made a stop in the candle shop and found a tree topper in there as well and by the time they finished it was almost four thirty, so they quickly made their way to the tree lot and picked up the tree before heading home ready for the long night in front of them.

_--_

_"Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy's heart instead of her tummy."-Anonymous_


	5. When in Richmond Avoid Elliot Avenue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Next chapter won't be up til Friday. sorry guys...I've just got a full day tomorrow and I won't be able to write anything. Work sucks. haha. :)**

**Chapter Four**

_"We are always in our own company"-Nietzche_

_--_

_She felt like she was floating on air, like an angel maybe. Like someone watching a movie unfold starring themselves and the people they love the most. She was standing in the corner of the bedroom watching, ironically, as she herself slept with the man of her dreams in the bed with her and their perfect little baby girl between them. She smiled at the peaceful scene before her, but her smile faded as she heard the distinct noises of someone picking the lock on the kitchen door and the deadbolt scraping the wood as it was forced open. "Wake up, someone's in the house! wake up!" she screamed, but nothing happened. Why couldn't she hear herself? Why wasn't Dave waking up either? She tried to move over to the bed to shake her other self awake or maybe startle the baby and then Maggie's cries would wake Dave or herself and maybe scare off whoever else was in the house. But she was somehow glued to the floor, powerless to move, and any hopes of Maggie waking up were soon dashed when after a few minutes of screaming again in hopes of waking her the little girl slept on peacefully. _

_The foot steps were getting closer now...they were just down the hallway and they were moving so quickly that she knew whoever it was had to know the layout of the cabin and had to know what room they were sleeping in. She finally saw her other self starting to stir a little...finally...just before the figure moved into the room. She couldn't see his face from the corner of the room she was stuck in at first, but when the figure leaned forward and roughly scooped Maggie up off the bed causing her to begin to cry loudly causing the figure to laugh, a mechanical, evil laugh that she remembered all too well. She almost couldn't bear to look as she saw her other self open her eyes and scream and try and wake Dave who just wouldn't wake up. Why? What was wrong? What was this? Why wasn't he waking up? Why couldn't she warn herself before that her attacker was in the house? She watched as he all but threw Maggie into the small bassinet they'd been using for her nap time, and then she saw it. The unmistakable silver sheen of a knife. NO! This was like some bad horror movie that was a little too perfect on the details. "No please, please. I'll do whatever you want, but please don't hurt them, please" she heard her other self crying and pleading just before her attacked raised the knife and lunged toward her..._

"NO!" JJ screamed as she sat up in bed to find herself covered in sweat and Dave standing over her.

"JJ, baby, it's okay. C'mere it was just a dream." he said as he sat down on the tan bedding and pulled her into his arms, "Want to talk about it?"

"He was here, in the house, and you...you wouldn't wake up and...and Maggie...oh God Maggie! Where's Maggie? Is she okay?" JJ said starting to panic, that dream had been a little too real.

"She's fine sweetheart, she's sleeping in her playpen in the living room. You fell asleep on the couch and I carried you in here about an hour ago" he answered as he rocked her soothingly as she cried a little and tried to stop shaking, "Who was in the house JJ? Who was hurting us?" He already knew the answer he just wanted her to say it, she needed to talk the nightmares out to be able to deal with them to keep them from coming back as often.

"Steve. It was Steve. It was horrible! I heard him before he even got in the house and then I had to watch like some sick game as he threw Maggie" stopping she swallowed hard at the thought of someone harming Maggie, "down in her bed and then he...he lunged at me with a knife and then I woke up and you were here." JJ said still sobbing, "I need to see her Dave, I need to see she's alright with my own eyes."

"I thought you might", he said thoughtfully as he took her hand and led her into the living room where Maggie was sleeping peacefully. "See she's fine babe." he whispered reassuringly as he squeezed her hand.

"I know, I just want to hold her for a while though", JJ said calming down a little now once she saw that Maggie was safe and so were she and Dave.

"I think she'd love that JJ. Why don't we turn the lamp off and just watch the tree lights for a while?" Rossi suggested hoping the more serene atmosphere would calm her down and help remind her everything was okay.

"Okay" she agreed and leaned over and picked Maggie up gently before moving over to the couch that Dave was sitting on and laid her head in his lap, put Maggie on her chest, and began to stroke her back as she slept. Just being in the room with both of them had already started to calm her down and when she felt Dave start softly running his fingers through her hair she calmed down completely. There was just something about being with him and Maggie that made her feel safe. Almost like she was invincible when she was with them, almost.

--

Back in DC Derek Morgan sat at his kitchen table finishing up his last few consults before going to bed and he knew that most likely Reid was across town in his apartment doing the same thing. Sighing he signed his name to the profile he'd just finished compiling for the local PD in Wichita, and opened the next file. After looking at all of the contents briefly he decided that the team would've probably worked this case 'hands on' if some psycho wasn't after JJ. The case was from the Virginia State PD who'd found four young blonde women dead along Interstate 95 between Richmond and DC, all sexually assaulted, and all of them had the most damage done to their stomachs, almost like the UnSub was more angry at that part of their anatomy than at them. _Why?_ At the back of the case file were four pictures of the victim's and Derek could have sworn that they all could've been related to his blonde team mate. All blonde haired and blue or green eyed, all medium height with shoulder length or longer hair. All held jobs that required them to dress in suits everyday for work and three out of the four travel frequently for their jobs as well as well. Quickly picking up his cell phone and hitting number five on his speed dial he put it up to his ear and waited.

"Hotchner" came the swift reply as the call was answered.

"Hotch, listen it's Morgan. I've been going over some consults and I've found something I think you are probably gonna wanna see..." Derek said trailing off.

"Morgan can it wait until morning? Emily just went to bed." Hotch was tired, exhausted was more like it. He just wanted to go upstairs and let sleep take hold of him until morning.

"Then I'll head over there because if I think I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing then JJ's case just got a lot more complected." Derek said in a serious tone that meant nothing good was going to come of what was in the file he was about to show his boss.

"Okay, I'll see you in twenty." Hotch finally relented. He was frustrated with the lack of progress on finding Steve Daniels and if Morgan had something that could help the case then he wanted to have a look at it.

"On my way" was the last thing Derek said as he hung up his cell and grabbed the file and his keys before heading out the door.

--

Steve Daniels sat on the dusty comforter in the cheap motel room he'd just "rented". No one was going to ever miss the old geezer who had been staying in this room anyways. The guy had been passed on out pills and booze way before he'd even picked the lock, so one bullet to the head didn't really faze him too much. Now he had a place to stay where those stupid FBI agents could never find him. They all thought they were so smart, those government types, always ordering people around, making them do whatever they wished. Bastards, they were all just like she had been. Just like that bitch, Christina. Every single one of them...

--

"Hotch look at these women and tell me they don't remind you of someone" Derek said as he laid out the pictures of Dana Scarborough, Meagan Burgess, Shelby Pemberly, and Jessica Malone on his boss's coffee table.

Aaron Hotchner sighed, Derek was right. At least two of these women and JJ could be mistaken for twins, or at least sisters. "I see it. What else do they have in common?"

"Besides the fact they all look like JJ?" Derek said sarcastically, he usually got that way when he hadn't slept in a while, "Jessica Malone and Shelby Pemberly were both Media Analysts for the Denwall Kent Corporation, but they worked in different offices. Jessica worked in the Richmond office and Shelby worked in the Arlington office. Megan Burgess was a pharmaceutical rep. for Holmes and Johnson Pharmaceuticals based out of their Springfield office, and Dana Scarborough was the Public Relations Coordinator for Conrad and Lawson, which is a large law firm in Virginia Beach. All of them were single except one, Dana Scarborough was engaged to a Charles Bradford who also worked at Conrad and Lawson."

"So they were all career women with media related jobs which put their faces on every television set and newspaper from here to California except Megan Burgess who still wore suits to work everyday. Each girl probably traveled up and down I-95 everyday for work, but that's not how he got to them. It would be impossible for him to have singled out only these four women out of the thousands that commute to work on I-95 everyday. Where did each one go missing?" Hotch asked trying to piece the puzzle together.

"Megan Burgess was reported missing by her room mate, Lauren Peterson, when she didn't come home for three days straight and stopped answering her cell phone after a blind date. The police retraced her steps and found the last place she was seen was at a restaurant called Chi Pomegranate located in Richmond where she met a date for drinks before supposedly heading to a club down the street called Club Jet but that was never able to be verified. Dana Scarborough was reported missing by her sister when she didn't come home from her bachlorette party the night before. They had all gone to dinner a the same restaurant as Megan Burgess and her date, but then migrated to Club Fissure for the rest of the night which is down the street from Club Jet. Apparently Dana and her sister got separated in the club and the sister left early. One of the bouncers at the club said he saw Dana leave with a dark haired man in a military uniform, but he wasn't sure which branch and couldn't give PD an accurate description either. Jessica Malone was never reported missing and lived alone, but the bartender at Club Fissure identified her as a regular when PD checked her bank records and found several charges to them per week on her statement. Shelby Pemberly was reported missing by her boss when she didn't show up to work three days in a row claiming she never missed work, even coming in once with pneumonia only to be sent home. Last place she was reported being seen was..."

"In the area between Club Jet and Club Fissure." Hotch supplied, "And he must have seen JJ around there during our last case."

"Which was three weeks ago", Morgan agreed "I had Garcia check all the places JJ went during the case on my way over here, and she found that JJ interviewed a witness who owned the coffee shop three stores up from Chi Pomegranate."

"So there's something about that street, Elliot Avenue, that he likes, something that plays into his fantasy." Hotch said as he ran his hand through his hair while he looked in the file again hoping it would bring him more answers. "Call Reid and Garcia and have them meet us at Quantico at seven in the morning. I know we need to get on this, but JJ's safe for now and we're no good to her or these women if we can't keep our eyes open. Emily and I will meet you there."

Nodding his agreement Morgan opened his phone and sent a quick text to both Reid and his baby girl knowing that they were both still up and headed towards the door. "I'll see you both in the morning Hotch and tell Emily to get well soon, we're gonna need her out there for this one."

"I know. Unfortunately for her she can't speed up the time it takes for her stitches to come out. If they don't hurry up and heal I think she might try and pull them out herself", Hotch added knowing Emily hated to be office bound when her friend was in danger, or anyone was in danger for that matter, but especially her friend.

"What am I gonna do with her? The girl just had surgery two weeks ago after getting shot in the arm to remove the bullet and now she wants to rip her stitches out?", Morgan said laughing at his friends' antics, he knew how she could get when she was cooped up.

"Well that's Em for you. Gotta love her." Hotch said as he opened the door for Derek who chose to ignore his boss's last comment.

"Yep. I'll see you in the morning Hotch. 'Night." Derek said as he started to walk towards his car.

" 'Night Morgan." Hotch replied as he closed the door when he saw his agent climb into his SUV and start the engine before pulling away from the curb.

--

Penelope Garcia wanted to murder the person who was currently knocking on her door. She had just been almost asleep when whoever it was started pounding on her door and she had to be at work at seven the next morning so she needed her sleep. "Who is it?" she asked almost angrily through the door.

"Gorgeous it's me" came a familiar voice through the door.

"Angelfish what are you doing here at one in the morning?" Penelope asked and she opened the door and let him in her apartment.

"I'm sorry, I know it's late, but I just didn't want to have another nightmare", Derek answered honestly, "And when I stay here..."

"You don't have them" Garcia finished.

"Well yea" he answered knowing that it was kinda strange that when he stayed at Pen's his nightmare's were non-existent. It was almost like her presence scared the nightmare's away like his mother's used to when he was little.

"Alright c'mon" Garcia said knowing that JJ's case had been taking it's toll on him and to be having nightmares on top of that was something else all together, "You still have those sweats here from last time you stayed. I washed them and put them in the drawer with your other stuff." Garcia said as she climbed back into her bed and scooted over to the other side than she normally slept on so he could be closer to the door.

"Thanks baby girl, you're the best", he told her before grabbing the sweats, changing, and then crawling into bed and snuggling up to her. They were asleep within minutes.

What Derek didn't know was that as soon as Spencer Reid had gotten his text message about coming into work early on a Saturday, the young genius had drifted back off to sleep on his couch, almost forgetting to set his alarm.

--

So she was finally having nightmares. Dave could handle that. That meant she was dealing with everything, or that her subconscious was trying to anyways. She was asleep with her head in his lap at the moment and Maggie was still sleeping peacefully on her stomach. He was tired himself, even though he didn't usually get much sleep he still needed some every now and then and he just hadn't caught up on his missed sleep from the past two cases. Seeing Maggie start to stir and wake up for her bottle he gently lifted JJ's head up, mindful of the gash on the back of her head, and slid off the couch before placing a pillow underneath her head. Then he picked up Maggie and carried her into the kitchen and began making the tiny baby girl her bottle as she started to open her eyes.

"Well hi there sunshine" he told the now awake and alert baby as he mixed the formula with water in the bottle before replacing the nipple and top and shaking it up. JJ had been a little more than surprised when she found out that his baby care taking skills weren't lacking in the slightest. "I'm Italian, we had a big family" was all he had given for an explanation when she'd asked him about it and she seemed to understand his vague explanation.

After warming the bottle in the microwave and testing it on his hand to see if it was too hot, which it wasn't, he placed the nipple in the little girl's mouth and she began to eat greedily. "Well I see someone was hungry", Dave said as he smiled down at Maggie and started to sway her in his arms like his mother had taught him to do with his cousins when he was younger.

"You know what Maggie?" he asked the tiny baby as if she was going to answer him back, "I'm really happy you came to stay with me and your mommy. She already loves you very much and she risked her life to find you, did you know that?"

Maggie just grunted in response as she continued eating so he took that as a yes, "Yep, she heard you crying in that alleyway and she told me, and then we found you and took you to meet Dr. Lee and that hyper nurse lady and made sure you were okay before we brought you home with us."

"Oh by the way Maggie I really hope you like shopping", Dave continued on as Maggie finished the last bit of her bottle, he could see why she woke up to eat so often, it was because she ate so little when she did eat, "because your mom really loves it and so does Aunt Emily and Aunt Garcia so I'm pretty sure that you're going to have to go shopping with them all the time now unless you want to go duck hunting with me when it gets warmer out again. But you probably don't, most girls like shopping, but can you like one thing that won't cause me to go into debt?" He finished laughing a little as he put her bottle down on the counter and put her on his shoulder to burp her.

To be so little Maggie already had tons of clothes and right now she was dressed in her third outfit for the day which consisted of a pair of warm lime green pajama's with a huge flower on the tummy that JJ had loved in the store. It had been in the first load of laundry she'd done before putting it on Maggie and the baby seemed to love it more than JJ because she had stopped fusing and gone right to sleep as soon as the last snap was fastened.

After hearing a tiny burp in his ear, Dave turned back towards the door to walk out of the kitchen and back into the living room when he noticed JJ standing in the doorway watching he and Maggie together.

"Hey babe. I'm sorry if we woke you up. We tried to be quiet didn't we Maggie?" Dave asked the once again sleeping baby who was still curled up on his shoulder.

"It's okay. I actually enjoyed watching you two together. You're really good with her you know?" JJ said as she moved out of the doorway so he and Maggie could pass through before following them into the bedroom and climbing into bed.

"Not as good as you, sweetheart" Dave told her as he put Maggie down on the bed before stripping down to his undershirt and boxers and laying down himself across from JJ with Maggie in the middle.

"Liar" JJ said teasing, "I'm glad you're good with her, and I'm just really glad she's here and she's safe" JJ said as she started to drift back off to sleep, but not before intertwining their hands just below Maggie's feet on the bed.

"Me too, babe. Me too" he replied as he drifted off to sleep as well. They had plenty of time to talk, especially with Maggie waking up every three hours, now was not the time. But they needed to talk and he needed to tell her about the team coming over for dinner, and how they were going to tell the team about Maggie. Well, he reasoned, tomorrow was another day.


	6. Lucky Number Five!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, NCIS, Fort Belvoir, the US Army, or anything else you recognize.**

**A/N: Ok so I know this is being posted late on Friday, but it's still Friday right? So it's all good. Anyways the first part with the UnSub is a little explicit, but you don't have to read it if you think it's too much, it's really just showing his mindset. Also the last part of the chapter is an Instant Message between Garcia and Abby Scuito on NCIS. NO THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A CROSSOVER WITH NCIS. I just read a few small spoilers Krisitn Vangsness (Garcia) gave E! Online and in those spoilers she says that she and Pauley Perrette, who plays Abby on NCIS, are trying to get their bosses to do a double episode between Criminal Minds and NCIS where Garcia and Abby are best friends from school. So that being said I decided to make them good friends in the story and it makes sense that the team would know and be friends with other people from other agencies in DC and Virginia. Also the next chapter will be the big dinner everyone has been waiting for. I'm going to start working on it as soon as I post this, but I want it to be a good chapter so it might not be posted until Sunday. I'll try for sometime tomorrow though. Also I hope this explains why Emily's staying with Hotch, THEY AREN'T TOGETHER. I know I mixed that up in the story, sorry!, I guess that's what I get for writing little pieces of different chapters at different times. haha. Anyways here's Chapter five... **

**Chapter Five**

_"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."-Carl Jung_

_--_

He had to find her soon, the FBI agent. She was proving far more illusive than he'd thought and his mind and body were itching for him to find her...to restrain her...to play with her...and then ultimately feel her life leave her body as his hands closed tighter around her neck. It had almost been two weeks since his last kill, and now three days since he'd almost had this Jennifer Jareau within his grasp, and his body was excited and itching for release at the prospect of finding his newest plaything. Now all he had to do was figure out where they had taken her.

He'd watched her for a week before making his first move, introducing himself as Dectective Steve Davis instead of his real identity. He'd used his mother's last name instead of his own incase she'd gotten wise to his plan before he could get her alone, but when she hadn't and instead had invited him to dinner he knew he had found her...his next victim. Maybe he'd keep her around longer than the others, there was something special about her that excited him more than the rest. There had only been one flaw in his plan though, he couldn't get Christina out his mind when he looked at his pictures of the FBI agent. Damn it. Maybe if he closed his eyes..._Yes! _he thought excitedly and he could feel his body twitching in response to the thought of the FBI agent below him as he unzipped his camo pants and pushed them and his underwear down to his ankles before encompassing himself with his hand and pretending it was her that was stroking him..._Oh God! Yes! _were his last thoughts as his head fell back against the pillow...Oh yes, he'd have to find her soon...

--

"Jack and Sam are just meant to be together Pen", Emily said as she and Garcia finished watching the latest Without a Trace episode in Garcia's office. They'd been left at Quantico while the boys went out and checked out all the leads. Again. It had been two weeks since her surgery and she still wasn't able to have her stitches taken out yet, and she was growing more and more irritated at that simple fact.

"Oh you just think that because you're in love with the boss man" Garcia teased, "Now Danny and Elena, there's a couple that belong together."

"Garcia! Keep your voice down!" Emily whispered loudly. The truth was she_ was _in love with Aaron Hotchner, very much so. So much so that she'd jumped at the chance to stay with him when he'd offered after her surgery.

"What? I'm just saying, Em. You know it, I know it, heck I'm pretty sure that even Reid has figured it out by now. Why don't you just tell him how you feel?" Garcia said defending her outburst. Truth be told Penelope Garcia was always up for a little match making, but this was getting ridiculous. Emily Prentiss had been in love with the boss man for over two months, that she knew of, and had yet to even tell him a little of how she felt.

"Because...well...because...ugh!" Emily said as she gave a frustrated sigh, she'd never been one to get so worked up over a guy before and frankly it scared her that whatever connection she seemed to have with him could control her like that. "I just...what if I tell him how I feel and then he says he doesn't feel the same. I mean we've gotten so close since New York and everything and I just don't want to lose what we have, even if that means that we can't be together right now. Speaking of not telling people how they feel about them, what about you and Derek Miss Priss? I noticed you two came into work together this morning..."

"What!? Garcia why didn't you tell me that you and Derek were finally getting it on?" a familliar voice said as JJ appeared on Garcia's laptop screen.

"Jayje! How are you? We've been calling and calling, but nothing would go through. Is everything okay?" Garcia asked her best friend over the web cam in her office.

"Pen I'm fine, everything's getting better. My phone got lost in the fire so Strauss had them bring me out a new one, but Garcia you have the land line number to the house, why didn't you call it if you needed me?" JJ asked slightly confused, but just glad to talk to her friends again. Maggie had just gone down for her mid-afternoon nap, and Dave was in his office working on consults, so she had the next hour or so to chat with her best friends.

"I don't have the number to the cabin sweetheart, just his apartment in Alexandria that he uses during the week and his cell. Besides Em and I just wanted to make sure you were okay and had everything taken care of", Garcia stated, her concern evident.

"Oh okay...well I'll e-mail you and Em my new cell number and the house number just in case you need it later, but for the most part I'm just tired, it's been a long three days. Now what's this about you and Morgan coming into work together this morning?" JJ prodded her friend.

"Yea Garcia...what _is_ going on with you and Derek these days?" Emily asked as she joined the conversation.

"Nothing! I swear! He just stayed over last night so he wouldn't have nightmares. That's it, I promise." Penelope confessed before adding under her breath "Much to my disappointment."

"I'm sorry what was that Penelope Sunrise Garcia? I don't think I heard you correctly." JJ said using her friends full name on purpose, knowing it would annoy Garcia into repeating what she'd just said for the class to hear.

"Hey! I told you that in confidence Jayje! That's not playing fair Jennifer Danielle!" Garcia chided as she frustratedly began to repeat what she said "I said, nothing happened...much to my disappointment."

"Ha! I knew it!" Emily said happily, "That's what you get for telling the whole building about me and everything with Hotch."

"Excuse me? You too?" JJ asked almost shocked. She had only known that Emily had a thing for Hotch not that something had happened. "So that's why you're going over to his house every night! Emily Anne Prentiss you told me it was to work on consults! You little sneak, how long has this been going on?"

"Nothing's happened yet Jayje" Emily said sighing before Garcia butted in, "Yea because Wonder woman here won't tell him how she feels. Wait a minute...you said 'you too?' Is there something you're not telling us...?"

"Well..." JJ started knowing that the anticipation would drive her friends crazy.

"JJ!" Emily and Garcia shouted at the same time causing JJ to laugh.

"You guys are so easy to get sometimes!" JJ said laughing harder than she had in awhile, "I'll explain everything when you get here tomorrow night as long as you two do the same. Deal?"

"Oh way to ruin the moment there Jayje" Garcia pouted. "Okay Deal."

"What about you Em? We have a deal?" JJ asked her other friend.

"Oh alright, deal." Emily agreed.

"So ladies I assume you've both seen the latest Without a Trace episode? I just watched it online and I have to tell you that it was very interesting..." JJ said bringing up their favorite TV show.

"Of course we've seen it JJ" Emily said as she scooted her chair closer towards the computer to better join the conversation, "Pen here seems to think that Jack and Sam aren't going to get together, for some insane reason, but that Danny and Elena should win couple of the year."

"And you disagree?" JJ asked.

"Of course, I mean you saw how he was watching her over that nanny cam. I mean c'mon, it'd be creepy for him to watch that if he wasn't in love with her. Besides it was written all over his body languge how he felt about her." Emily answered as she took a twizzler from Garcia.

"She has a point Pen. I mean that _would be _kinda creepy of him. But I do agree with you about Danny and Elena. Look at them, they're probably the hottest couple I've ever seen! Seriously." JJ said in all seriousness, "Hey Garcia have you talked to Abby lately?"

"Yea actually, which is weird because we don't usually get to talk much during cases. Why, what's up?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering what you thought of inviting her and Tony to dinner tomorrow night too. We haven't seen them since the last time we all hung out three months or so ago, and had that movie night and besides I really want to know if Tony ever told Kate how he feels about her. Don't you?" JJ asked. In reality she knew Tony hadn't said anything to Kate yet, but she wasn't going to tell her friends that. She and Tony had actually gotten quite close since that night because they'd been the only two still awake when the third movie ended and for some odd reason they ended up talking for hours instead of just watching another movie until the fell asleep. She hadn't slept at all that night, but she was happy she'd found a new friend in Tony DiNozzo. He really wasn't like he made himself out to be all the time and she liked that there was no awkwardness between them, even from the beginning.

"Oh yea sure JJ! I'll call Abs later and invite them...I hear McGee's been asking about Emily here again..." Garcia said drifting off, they all knew that McGee had more than a little crush on their friend.

"Oh geez Em! I told you to let him down easy!" JJ scolded lightly.

"I thought I did, Jay, I swear." Emily said, but before she could finish JJ interrupted her.

"Guys, I gotta go! I'm sorry! Garcia text me later and let me know about Abby and Tony and I'll see you guys tomorrow night, okay?" She could see Maggie start to stir in her playpen and she really didn't want two of her best friends to find out about the baby over the computer, that was something she needed to tell them in person.

"Ok Jayje, will do." Garcia answered, "Bye sweetcheeks."

"Bye guys!" JJ said, as she started to close the laptop, but not before a tiny cry erupted in the room and she hurriedly finished closing down the chat link and computer before her friends realized what they were hearing and picked up Maggie before going to change her diaper.

However, at Quantico Emily and Garcia still sat staring at the computer in shock at what they'd just heard. JJ and a baby? Was it hers? And if so how did that happen? JJ had most certainly not been pregnant the last time they'd seen her...Now tomorrow night could not get here soon enough.

--

Derek Morgan was tired, freezing, and wishing that he, Hotch, and Reid were already back at Quantico and not back at Daniels apartment. There had been nothing here the first time he'd been here, but Hotch had put out there that Daniels could be brutalizing the victim's stomach's the most because of something related to a failed pregnancy and he was almost positive there had to be something somewhere that would back him up on that. Yet once again the apartment yielded nothing but a few old photographs that had been under the mattress from Daniels Army days, otherwise the apartment was the same as it had been before. Maybe Garcia could find something else on the guy when they got back, if they ever did.

"Possibly he carries whatever we're looking for with him", Reid suggested as they walked back to the SUV after deciding there was nothing left to find in the UnSub's apartment.

"But if what we're thinking is correct, that he's beating them more heavily on the stomach and abdomen out of rage, then why would he carry around a picture of whatever it is that caused him to be so angry in the first place?" Derek asked as they pulled away from the curb and began the thirty minute drive back to Quantico.

"Is it possible we're looking at this the wrong way?" Hotch asked from the passenger seat. "I mean it is possible that this woman, whoever she is, ran off with someone else while Daniels was deployed and he's angry because he didn't find out until he got back, and by that time she was pregnant by the other man."

"There is also the possibility that she just cheated on him and became pregnant because of it, and when she told him the truth he killed her and blamed the child for making him do it" Morgan said as they exited onto the freeway.

"True, let's call Garcia and have her look up anyone matching the victim's descriptions who were reported missing or even miscarried right before Daniels left the Army in the Fort Belvoir area. Maybe we'll get lucky and find out who it is who made him so angry so we can get a better idea of what's behind his rage." Hotch stated as Morgan flipped open his phone and called the one person who he'd been wanting to talk to all day.

"Talk to me" Garcia said as she answered the team's line to her office.

"Is there some no flirting rule I should know about today Baby Girl?" Derek asked surprised at her unusual greeting. She seemed fine when they'd left three hours ago...

"Oh, no Gorgeous, most definitely not. It's just something Em and I just heard that surprised me. So what can I do for you?" Garcia asked still shocked a little from what she and Emily had just heard while talking to JJ.

"Well if you're sure you're okay...?"

"I'm fine Derek, I promise. Now did you call me to flirt, not that that would be a problem you know, or did you need something from me and my babies?" she asked hoping to get him off the subject of her and back onto the case.

"Okay, okay. I can take a hint. Anyways we need you to run a check on women who match the victim's general description who were either reported missing or suffered a miscarriage during the last two years of Daniels Army career in or around Fort Belvoir." Derek answered still confused about her behavior, but he could talk to her about that later...they needed to know about Daniels now.

"Okay I've got two women who were reported missing from that area that match the general description during that time, and only three miscarriages. The two women who were reported missing are Sarah Bainbridge who was later found dead in a hotel room just outside of Dallas, and Christina Hillcrest, who is also listed as having a miscarriage during that time at the Fort Belvoir's base hospital. Oh..."

"Oh what Garcia?" Derek asked cautiously.

"Well...it looks like Christina Hillcrest is the daughter of Colonel Johnathon Hillcrest who also happens to be the Base Commander at Fort Belvoir."

"So it looks like Daniels was sleeping with the Commander's daughter, thanks Baby Girl."

"Wait! There's something else. According to Missing Persons she had just turned eighteen when she was reported missing so if she _was_ sneaking around with him, and he was twenty two at the time..."

"He was looking at statutory rape charges if anyone found out."

"Correct. Daniels only had three months left on the government's payroll when she vanished."

"Okay thanks Baby Girl. You're the best."

"Aww...you're only saying that cause it's true. Garcia out." Garcia answered disconnecting the call as Morgan flipped his phone shut.

"Hotch, Garcia says there were two missing women reported that fit the time frame and general description and three miscarriages, but only one woman is on both lists. Christina Hillcrest ,18, was reported missing by her parents. Her father is the Base Commander at Fort Belvoir. She had just turned eighteen when she was reported missing which was only two days after she was released from the base hospital following her miscarriage, so that means..."

"That if Daniels was the father then he could've had statutory rape charges brought against him by the Commander. So why didn't they file the charges when they found out that their daughter and Daniels were sleeping together?" Reid mused from the backseat as they pulled off the interstate onto Quantico exit.

"When we get back to Quantico I'll call the Commander's office and set up an appointment for us to talk to him and his wife on Monday" Hotch said as the Marines waved them through the gate onto the base. "That way we can bring Emily incase the Commander's wife would rather talk to a her than us."

--

_Abby1600 is online. SupremeGenius30 has signed on._

SupremeGenius30: Hey Abs!

Abby1600: Hey Pen! Hang on just a second while I finish this test on some evidence McGee just gave me.

Supreme Genius30: Okay, no problem.

Abby1600: Phew! Okay Major Mass Spec is doing his business now. So what's up?

SupremeGenius30: Well I talked to JJ this afternoon...

Abby1600: OH! How is she doing after everything? Tony's been really upset since I told him. Is she staying with you?

SupremeGenius30: I know we've been pretty upset here too, but she seems to be doing really well for now. You can still see the bruises on her neck though, which is scary because it shows how close he really got to getting my sweet JJ. She's not staying with me, she's actually staying with another team member, David Rossi, I think you met him...right?

Abby1600: That is scary! Is he the new guy?

SupremeGenius30: Yea, well if almost a year is new Abs. :) Well anyways we're all going out to his house for dinner to see her tomorrow night and she wanted me to invite you and Tony if you wanted to come. Emily and I are leaving my apartment around 5:30pm if you two want to ride with us. It's pretty far away, almost an hour...I think it's near Norfolk and Little Creek Base.

Abby1600: Oh wow that is far! But I guess the distance helps keep her safe right? Anyways I'll tell Tony about tomorrow night, he'll be happy to finally talk to JJ. I think they're actually pretty close.

SupremeGenius30: Really? Well that's good, he needs someone to confide in who he doesn't work with and so does she, I guess. So we'll see you at 5:30pm tomorrow night?

Abby1600: Absolutely! I've gotta go, Gibbs is here. Bye Pen!

SupremeGenius30: Bye Abs!

_Abby1600 has signed off. SupremeGenius30 has signed off._

**A/N # 2: So did anyone see Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan) on Ellen Degeneres today? I did on the random chance that I was home a three this afternoon. Anyways I also want to mention that I have no idea if JJ, Emily, and Garcia watch Without a Trace or not, but it seemed like something that I could use to have them talk about so we could get some good story time with the three of them together. Also, sorry this isn't any JJ/Rossi stuff in this chapter...I know, I know...sorry! I just thought we needed to see how the rest of the world was doing for a chapter or so. Also for the NCIS character's part Kate Todd is most definitely still alive in this story, I don't know how many of you have seen or watch NCIS (If you don't or haven't no worries...the story will still make sense) but I'm just not a Tony/Ziva fan so I made Kate still be alive. Also I haven't decided if I'm going to introduce Ziva, like have Kate's death have been faked or if Ari just wounded her instead of killing her. So I say all that to say that for those of you who watch NCIS just be aware that the story line's that are here and on the show do not line up in any way shape or form! BUT this isn't going to be a crossover. maybe I'll write that later. I'm just introducing Abby and Tony and we may see them some down the line but they will play the tiniest part in this story. I mean tiny, tiny.**


	7. You're Sure?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything you recognize. **

**A/N: Okay so I know I said the "Dinner" was in this chapter, but there's a lot aready going on in this one, and the dinner scene is pretty long so far and I've only written half of it, so I'm moving it to the next chapter. Anyways I know this isn't one of the longest chapter's out there, but I hope you like it! Thanks to all of you who reviewed too! **

**Chapter Six**

_"The more things change, the more they remain the same."-Alphonse Karr_

_"A woman must not depend on the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself."-Susan B. Anthony_

_--_

Dave Rossi was in deep thought as he pushed the grocery cart down the pasta aisle. JJ had practically shooed him out of the house this morning, with probably the longest grocery list he'd ever seen that consisted of the ingredients to make enough salad, lasagna, and caramel cake to feed an army for two weeks. "There's seven people coming over tonight, sweetheart, you know how much Morgan can eat" she'd said, "And the cakes and lasagna need to bake and cool some before everyone gets here."

He was nervous about leaving her alone, not because he thought she might hurt herself or Maggie, but because Daniels was still out there. But she'd promised that her friend was on his way down from DC so she and Maggie would be safe. "Tony will be here around noon, Dave, so Maggie and I will be fine while you're getting the food." Who was this _'friend' _that was coming over? But she'd answered that too, in a way. "Tony's coming early so he can help with the lasagna; he's the one who taught me how to make it." So whoever this 'Tony' was he knew how to cook well enough that he impressed JJ who could be nicknamed Martha Stewart's daughter because of how well she cooked.

_'Well I guess I'll meet him soon enough' _Dave thought as he tossed the last item into the cart and made his way to the checkout. Since when had he become so jealous over something so small? Of course he wanted her to have friends, maybe this was just his protectiveness coming through? Well, he'd find out soon enough.

--

"That was..." Spencer Reid started as he rolled over on the bed and tried to catch his breath again.

"Amazing" his dark haired companion finished causing him to nod in agreement.

They'd been meeting like this for weeks now, at first only a couple nights a week, but now almost every night. So far he didn't think anyone at work knew about their little secret and for the moment they had decided to keep it that way.

"Spencer?" the woman next to him asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Yea Sam?" He answered as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him...he knew he should be getting ready to go out and see JJ, but he just couldn't make himself get out of bed.

"Do you remember if we used a condom?" she asked willing him to give her the answer of "Yea Sam, of course we did".

And for the first time in his life Spencer Reid was at a loss for words.

--

_"Okay so this isn't exactly what I thought she meant by cabin" _Tony thought as he turned off his SUV and stared for a second at what was quite possibly the mansion of all cabins.

Maybe this wasn't the right place? But then it had to be because there wasn't another shelter within a twenty mile radius of here, or at least he certainly hadn't seen one. _ "Well I'll just knock on the door and if this isn't it then maybe the people who do live here can tell me where this David Rossi's 'cabin' is."_ he thought as he made his way towards the front door of the house in front of him. Once he reached the door he noticed that there were boxes of Christmas lights piled up just outside the door like they were waiting for someone to put them up. "_Well maybe this is the right place, JJ told me that her favorite thing about Christmas is all the lights"_ Tony mused as he gave one swift knock on the glass panel of the door. "_Here goes nothing..."_

"Who is it?" came a soft, but firm voice from the other side of the door that could only be JJ's. Her soft, girl next door demeanor was very deceptive at hiding her actual strength. He wouldn't be surprised if she could beat the living daylights out of him, well maybe not him, but for sure McGee.

"It's me JJ." he answered while he started to bob on his feet a little to keep warm. Why was it always so cold in Virginia in the winter?

"Me who?" she answered but he could hear the tiny bit of teasing in her voice.

"Ummm...Ed McMahon. You've won a million dollars."

"Oh then by all means please come in Mr. McMahon." JJ said smiling as she finally opened the door to reveal herself and allow him to enter the house.

"Why thank you ma'am." Tony said keeping up the charade while he shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his shoes so he was only wearing his jeans and his long sleeved Ohio State Football t-shirt. "So how've you been little lady?" he asked as he gave her a quick hug.

"To be honest it's been a rough couple days" she answered as she pulled down her turtleneck collar to show him the fading bruises on her neck, but pulled it back up quickly when she saw his fists start to clench in anger.

"Hey, hey relax. I'm here and I'm fine, with only a couple bruises, and everything's okay, got it?" She said in a soothing, but no nonsense tone and waited for him to nod his okay. When he did she added with a huge smile on her tiny face, "Good. Now there's someone I'd like you to meet so if you'd please follow me kind Sir, we can't keep the princess waiting." She was confusing him, and she knew it we he didn't immediately follow her from the kitchen into the next room. "C'mon Tony. Or do you want to stay in the kitchen all day?"

"Oh...no, sorry" he said shaking his head to remove the fog from his brain as he followed her into the living room where he saw something that made his eyes widen in surprise. "Ummm...JJ, who's baby is this?"

"Mine" she said innocently as she went over to pick Maggie up from her playpen.

"But...you weren't...when we" he started as he pointed to himself and then her, "how?"

"Relax, Tony. No I wasn't pregnant when slept together that one time and no I didn't get pregnant from that night. That would be a miracle though, right? Woman gives birth to healthy six pound baby girl after only three months of pregnancy. I can see it on CNN now." JJ said laughing as she grabbed Maggie's pacifier from the coffee table and put it in the little girls mouth before sitting down on the large leather sectional. "Now do you want to hold her?"

"Okay, but only if you explain to me just how you went from single FBI agent to soccer mom within a week without being pregnant. I mean I just saw you last Tuesday and there was no sign of this little one." Tony said as he sat down beside her and hesitantly to the baby from her. When Maggie started to snuggle up to him though, he relaxed and smiled down at her.

"Okay" she smiled as she watched him with Maggie. _ "He really would make a good father someday" _she thought. When they first met they had started something, going out a few times, but then both ended up realizing that they were only meant to be friends. She had even met him at NCIS a couple times before going out for lunch and according to McGee she was probably the only actual date of Tony's that he'd ever let meet him at work. He'd been running late that day, as usual, and she'd had a few minutes to talk to the mysterious Kate Todd. She could tell the woman was surprised when she told her what she did for a living and then was impressed when she told her that she worked with the BAU. It was then that Tony finally made it up to the bullpen from Abby's lab with his boss and they headed off to a quick lunch. She'd teased him that day about Kate, but now she could see why he was so attracted to her. She really was beautiful.

"So?" he prodded after noticing her drifting off into 'thought land'.

"So what?" she asked before remembering, "Oh right" and then she started the long story that surrounded how they had found Maggie, including the trip to the hospital, before bringing her home.

--

"Baby girl are you sure that's what you heard?" Derek asked for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Of course I'm sure Derek!" Penelope answered exasperatingly, "Emily and I heard baby in the background when we were talking to JJ yesterday."

"And you're sure?" he asked as they made their way through the mall towards one of the department stores.

"Derek!" was her almost angry reply as she stopped right in front of him blocking his way into the store before facing him. "If you ask me if I'm sure one more time you'll be walking to Norfolk tonight".

"I'm sorry sweetness, I just can't believe it. I mean, how? She goes out there to stay safe from Daniels and recover and then miraculously has a baby? It just doesn't make sense."

"I know it doesn't make sense, that's why I told you." she said as they started to move towards the store again, "We couldn't figure it out either."

"Excuse me Miss would you like to try our new perfume?" a bubbly sales girl asked as they passed through the doorway, "No thanks, sweetie." Garcia replied as they started walking again before heading up the escalators towards the home and garden department.

"So what are you getting you mom for Christmas, Angelfish?" Garcia asked when she noticed he'd been quiet for a while.

"I was kinda hoping you'd be helping me out with that baby girl" Derek asked as he looked at her with his trademark puppy dog eyes that she'd swear could make any girl weak in the knees.

"Oh, I see. So that's why you suggested we come all the way to McLean to the mall today, right?" she said as she pretended to be hurt.

"Look, I'm sorry Pen. It's just you always help me find gifts for Sarah and Desiree so I just thought...I really didn't mean to upset you."

He looked so sincere in that moment she almost felt bad for tricking him into thinking she was upset with him, almost. "Derek I'm not mad, but just tell me the truth next time okay? I didn't exactly wear my heavy duty shopping heels." she said as she pointed to the dark purple Steve Maddens she was wearing.

"Oh I'll get you back for that Baby Girl, you just wait until later" he said as he smiled mischievously when he realized she'd tricked him.

"So what exactly do you mean by later? I mean a girl needs that kind of information so she can be prepared for all things Derek Morgan." Flirting shamelessly had always been their thing so she wasn't too surprised when several of the female shoppers stopped and stared at them a second before moving on.

"Oh now sweetness we're on the wrong floor for that, though I did see this little store on the way in..." he started only to be interrupted, not by his Baby Girl, but by someone across the store.

"Derek Christopher Morgan!" the woman screeched as she made her way over. "And just who is this?"

"Natalie Sawyer, I'd like you to meet Penelope Garica, my fiancee." They both knew he was lying, but she was willing to play the part if it got rid of this banshee. Besides, it's not like she would mind too much if being Derek's wife was part of her future anyways.

"So this is the little bitch you were always calling while we were out on dates." Natalie said menacingly as she invaded Garcia's personal space.

"Whoa, hold the phone there Natalie. I absolutely do not know what you are talking about. I didn't even know who you were until just a few seconds ago, so you can just back right back up." Penelope Garcia may not know how to fire a gun or un-arm a suspect, but she does know how to handle herself in a fight thanks to growing up with four brothers. Not that she was about to get in one because a shopping mall full of families just wasn't the place and they weren't kids anymore.

"We just broke up last week! How can you be engaged already?" This girl just didn't give up, and as much as she wanted Derek to intervene and difuse the situation, she held him back. She could take care of herself.

"We've dated before and we just happened to decide to give it another go, okay? Look we just came out to have a nice day Christmas shopping, we don't want a scene. I really don't want to call security on you but I will. Assaulting two FBI agents wouldn't really look good on your personal record, would it?" Well this little 'story' she's spinning for Natalie just keeps getting bolder and bolder doesn't it? But it's obvious this girl doesn't realize that she's a FBI Analyst not an Agent, and she is most definitely not Derek Morgan's fiancee. Maybe another good reason he let this one go is her lack of observation skills. She hadn't even noticed that Penelope's finger was missing a very important ring.

The girl just gave Penelope one more hateful look before spitting at her feet and muttering something that sounded alot like some of the gypsy curses the old woman next door had taught her when she was little before storming away.

When Derek moved to follow the girl and arrest her for harassment Garcia intercepted him. "Look it's done, okay, it's over. Just let it go."

"Baby Girl, I'm so sorry. I had no idea she was going to go crazy like that. I would never have put you in that position if I had, I promise."

"I know, I know. Let's just find something for your mom and get out of here okay?" Garcia said seriously, "And Derek?"

"Yes baby?" he said hesitantly.

"Why do you always have to date the crazy's? Why can't you ever find someone who's normal?"

"I'm sorry, gorgeous. I don't know, they never seem crazy when I meet them."

"And you call yourself a profiler?" Penelope scoffed teasingly before grabbing his hand, "Now I think we should find something for your mom before  little miss crazy comes back okay?"

"Yea okay." He answered as they started walking still hand in hand in search of the perfect gift. Neither of them realizing it until three hours later when they were still holding hands while walking out to the car.

--

"Hey JJ I'm back" Dave shouted as he opened the kitchen door with his arms full of bags.

"We're in the living room!" she tossed back and he thought, _'Well here goes nothing...' _before setting down the bags and heading towards her voice.

"Hey babe" JJ said as she gave him a hug when he made it over to the couch where they were sitting with Maggie, "Dave, I'd like you to meet my friend Tony DiNozzo."

"It's nice to meet you Tony" Dave said shaking his hand as they exchanged pleasantries.

"You too." Tony answered before handing Maggie back to JJ as she sat back down.

"So Tony what do you do for a living?" Dave asked as he sat down next to JJ on the couch and motioned for Tony to sit back down as well, which he did.

"Oh I'm a Special Agent with NCIS."

"I know a few people who work there, or at least they did the last time I checked. Do you know an Agent Jethro Gibbs or Dr. Donald Mallard?" Dave asked. It had been years since the BAU had worked with NCIS on a case and he hadn't really kept in touch with anyone working there, but he did remember a few names and faces.

"Actually Gibbs is my boss and yea, Ducky's still the ME. Our Forensic Scientist Abby is coming out here tonight too, but you may not know her." Tony answered, "You aren't related to the Rossi's that own that great Italian place in Norfolk are you?"

"Actually yea, my Aunt and Uncle have owned it for years" Dave replied before taking a fussy Maggie from JJ, "I'll get her bottle ready, why don't you two get started on dinner? It's already four and you know Garcia, she'll be early."

"Are you sure?" JJ asked as she and Tony got up off the couch. So the guy was a good looking Italian, Dave couldn't blame him for being either good looking or Italian. When he looked at it that way they at least had those two things in common.

"Of course I'm sure. You said everything needed to cool for a while once it was done right?"

"Well yea, but..."

"No buts. I've got everything covered with Maggie, and when she goes down for her nap I'll put the lights up outside okay?"

"Okay, okay. But only if you're sure..." JJ started with a smile as she and Tony headed towards the kitchen.

"I'm positive. Now go before I change my mind." Dave said teasingly to her retreating figure before adding to a restless Maggie, "Your mommy is crazy sometimes..."

"I heard that!" came as a reply from the kitchen and he had to shake his head. Maggie was never going to be able to get away with anything if JJ could hear him whisper to her all the way in the kitchen.

--

"Reid is that women's perfume I smell on you?" Derek asked as held the middle seat in the Suburban back for Reid to climb in the back seat.

"Uh No." Spencer answered and he was glad he was facing away from Morgan or he would've been able to tell he was lying. He and Sam had talked it out after their "accident" that afternoon with not using a condom and decided to wait it out. They would work it out, whatever happened.

"Yea, yea. Okay man. I'll let you slide this time" Morgan told his friend as he moved the seat back after Emily had climbed back in the back with Reid. They had all decided to take one car since Tony wasn't riding with them.

Abby and Garcia had been chatting constantly about anything and everything, especially about this Gibbs person whoever he was, that it sounded like Abby was dating. They climbed in the middle seat and Derek shut the door behind them before climbing into the passenger side front seat. Hotch had insisted on driving claiming that he "knew where he was going". It was already after five thirty and if they were going to make it by seven they really didn't need to get lost.

"So Morgan have you given any more consideration to the New York job" Hotch asked once they had pulled onto the interstate and the others had started their own conversations.

"Some, but as of right now I really don't think I'm going to take it Hotch. I just don't think I want to leave the BAU" Derek said honestly as he looked out through the windshield. Truthfully there was also a certain someone he didn't want to leave, but he wasn't about to tell his boss that. Not that Hotch would have much room to say anything after playing house with Emily for the last two weeks.

"You're sure? I know it would be less field work, but you'd be able to keep a regular schedule and you wouldn't be leaving every week on cases" Hotch started knowing that there had to be something else his agent wasn't telling him.

"I'm sure. I mean I haven't made my final decision, Strauss told me I had til the end of the week, but for right now I'm pretty content where I am."

"Well I can understand that, I guess" Hotch answered as they passed the half way marker. He could also understand what he was reading between the lines of Derek's behavior which very clearly said that he wasn't going anywhere unless a certain Technical Analyst was going with him. He knew there was always something different between Derek and Garcia, a connection that was all their own, and he was glad to see that five years after they met it was still there. Maybe all relationships didn't have to end badly after all...

--

_"The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering."- Ben Okri_


	8. Happy Contemplations

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Sad isn't it?**

**A/N: Okay so please don't kill me! I just couldn't get the dinner scene to work out like I wanted it to with all the characters in play like that so I sort of added it and the teams reactions as flashbacks in this chapter. Next chapter will have more of their reactions...especially Morgan and Garcia's. And the UnSub will make an appearance next chapter...Also, JJ will be getting back to work soon...and let's just say that everyone isn't exactly happy with that decision. Anyways I hope you like this chapter and I'm sorry it's taken so long to post! Thanks to all who reviewed last chapter too!**

**Chapter Seven**

"_We are friends for life. When we're together the years fall away. Isn't that what matters? To have someone who can remember with you? To have someone who remembers how far you've come?" – Judy Blume_

--

"I'm really glad everyone came out tonight" Dave said sincerely as he started washing the dishes from dinner in the sink. Maggie was fast asleep in her new bed that her 'Uncles' had put together and JJ was leaning on the kitchen counter next to the sink with the digital camera looking at the pictures she'd taken during dinner.

"Me too" JJ said happily as she switched the camera to the view setting and started flicking through the pictures until she came across one of Reid with Maggie, "Remember this one?" she asked showing it to Dave.

"How could I forget? Poor kid, he was so nervous" Dave started with a smile forming on the edge of his lips, "Hotch told me once that during one of Reid's first cases with the BAU he got kicked in the shin by a witness who just happened to be a five year old. Sad thing is I can imagine it perfectly, especially after seeing him with Maggie tonight."

"Yep, we call it the 'Reid Effect'." JJ said almost giggling herself, "the little girl loved all over Morgan and Hotch, but she wouldn't even go near Reid."

Flipping to another picture, JJ had to smile at which one came up next. It was Morgan and Garcia with Maggie. "When are they just going to realize that they're perfect for each other?"

"By the way he's looking at her in that picture I'd say he already has, babe. If Penelope wasn't dating that other tech I'd pretty much bet that Derek would've already made his move and asked her out." Dave said as he rinsed one of the serving dishes.

"Oh they broke up" JJ said as she flicked to the next picture. This time it was Morgan sitting on the couch while he held Maggie with Penelope curled up against his side, both totally unaware their picture was even being taken.

"Who did JJ?" Dave asked as he moved on to the dirty salad bowl. Why hadn't he invested in a dishwasher again? Maybe he should do that, and soon.

"Kevin and Garcia. She said he fell in love with her, but she didn't fall in love with him, and she didn't want to lead him on so she ended it about a month a go. I thought you were supposed to be one of the best profiliers out there? How did you miss something as simple as that?" JJ said as she flicked to the next picture which was of Abby and Tony with Abby trying to force Tony to eat some salad knowing full well he despised lettuce. _'It's good for you Tony. Do you want me to tell Gibbs that you're not eating healthy?'_Abby said as she pushed her fork towards him. They all had to laugh when he'd reluctantly ate the small amount of greens at her threat.

"Hey! It's not like I was really looking, okay? I was more than a little preoccupied with something or _someone _else" Dave said nonchalantly as he continued washing the dishes waiting to see if she'd notice what he said.

He saw a small smile blossom on her face with a tiny bit of red starting to color her pale cheeks. "You know when you say things like that it makes me wonder why you ever got divorced" JJ said as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. "But I'm glad you did. And just for the record, you weren't the only one who was...shall we say...preoccupied."

When she didn't immediately pull away after kissing his cheek he turned his head to face her. She really was beautiful. "Can I kiss you now?" he asked in what was almost a whisper.

"If you don't I may shoot you" she answered back just as his lips finally met hers for the first time.

Dishes and Camera were long forgotten as the passion of their first kiss engulfed them until Dave pulled away when he felt her fingers move toward the buttons on his shirt. "JJ wait."

"Why?" she asked and he could see the hurt in her eyes. He just hoped she didn't think it was because he thought badly of her because of her attack.

"It's just...are you sure we should be doing this right now?" Dave asked, somehow managing to dig himself into a deeper hole.

"Excuse me? Why? Am I some sort of damaged goods now? Huh? That's it isn't it? You don't want to be with me because of what Daniels did to me right?" JJ said as the tears formed in her eyes.

"No, JJ that's not..." he started but before he could finish she had already stormed angrily out of the room. "I just don't want to hurt you..." he finished softly as he turned the water off on the sink and let his shoulders sag in defeat. Why would she ever think that he thought that about her?

--

As soon as she shut the bedroom door behind her she finally let her tears fall as she changed into her pajama's. _ 'How could he think that about me?' _she thought as she slipped her t-shirt over her head. _"Maybe I am dirty..." _she thought as she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

She stared into the mirror and started to let her mind wonder. She'd thought that Dave wanted her, that he loved her...she could even remember the conversation she'd had with Penelope and Emily earlier about him in this very bathroom.

_"Jennifer Jareau you've got some explaining to do!" Garcia started with her hands on her hips as Emily sat on the edge of the bath tub and JJ leaned against the vanity._

_After looking to her other best friend for support, in which she got none, JJ sighed reluctantly. "Okay, okay I give up! What do you want to know?"_

_"Well first why don't you enlighten us on just who's baby that is out there? Did you steal her?" Garica asked worriedly as her mind started coming up with all sorts of crazy conclusions._

_"WHAT!? Garcia of course she didn't steal her." Emily started as she jumped into the conversation. "Right...?"_

_"Oh come on guys. Of course we didn't steal her. She was abandoned in an alley and we found her and they let us bring her home."_

_"We?" Emily and Garcia asked at the same time._

_"Yes we. Dave and I. We decided to adopt her, but it won't be official until the Detectives close the case." JJ said like it was nothing unusual._

_"Jayje I'm worried" Garica said and Emily nodded her agreement._

_"What why? Dave's great with her and I'm learning...I know I'm not the best with kids, but I'll get there..." JJ said confused at her friends reactions to Maggie._

_"Oh honey it's not that" Emily started looking to Garcia to finish for her, "Oh my sweet baby girl it's not that we don't think you can handle this, it's just..."_

_"Just what?" JJ said starting to get a little angry._

_"Look we don't want to make you angry Jayje" Emily said calmly, "We're just wondering if maybe this is all happening to fast. I mean you were just attacked and your house was burned down. Are you sure you're ready for this? All of this...with you and Dave and then with the added stress of a newborn baby?"_

_"I promise that I'm okay guys" JJ said cooling down a little. She couldn't blame her friends for being worried, after all it did sound a little crazy when you put it like that. "I know it sounds crazy but even though I didn't go looking for this relationship or to become someone's mother I wouldn't change those facts for anything. I know that you're worried that it's all happening too fast and I was too at first, but then Dave was there and I just realized that everything was going to be okay."_

_"Oh Jayje it sounds so romantic when you put it that way" Garcia said happily as she sighed dreamily. "He's so your Prince Charming."_

_"He is isn't he?" JJ asked with a huge smile covering her face._

_"I think it's about time something good happened to one of us for a change" Emily said as she too began smiling, almost like the happiness was infectious. "Now show us our new gorgeous goddaughter."_

_"Yea little momma, lead the way. How am I going to teach her how to shop online from in here? I'm good, but I'm not that good" Penelope said seriously as her friends laughed as the three of them left the bathroom in search of a certain little girl who was meeting her 'Uncles' and 'Aunt Abby' for the first time in the living room._

More tears streamed down her face as she shook her head of the memory and angrily pulled her toothbrush out of the cup on the counter and put toothpaste on it before shoving it into her mouth and brushing just as angry as she felt. Maybe if she brushed hard enough she wouldn't be so angry...she couldn't let Maggie see her like this and if she was going to sleep in the twin bed in Maggie's room tonight she needed to calm down.

She was startled by a knock on the bedroom door only to hear Dave's voice on the other end, "JJ, baby, can we talk, please? I didn't mean it like that, I promise...please." She spit her toothpaste in the sink and sighed when she heard the tears in his voice. He sounded so...broken. Had she misunderstood him?

Wiping the tears from her eyes she made her way to the door and unlocked it before sitting on the bed and watching as he timidly entered the room as if judging her mood.

Knealing in front of her and taking her hand he felt relief spread through his body when she didn't immediately pull away. "I'm sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean it like you think. I just don't want to push you."

"Really?" she asked hopefully, all her previous anger gone at the sound of his broken voice.

"Really. I'm so sorry I ever let you think otherwise..." Dave started but was interrupted when her lips met his for a quick and gentle kiss. "Please don't ever think that I think that of you again okay?"

"Okay, I promise. I'm sorry I overreacted." JJ said a little embarrassed about jumping to conclusions.

"It's okay babe as long as we're okay. We _are_ okay right?" Dave asked as he threaded their fingers together.

"Yea, we're okay." JJ answered and just as she leaned in to kiss him again a cry sounded over the baby monitor. "Well it looks like someone's awake."

"I'll get her, why don't you lay down and I'll be back in a minute?" Dave asked as he got up off his knees. He knew she had to be tired after the long day they'd had.

"Okay, but make sure and give her a kiss for me?" JJ asked as she fought back a yawn.

"Always." was his reply as he kissed her forehead and left the room to feed Maggie her late night bottle.

--

The drive back to DC was fairly quiet for the rest of the BAU team as they all contemplated what they'd just witnessed. Hotch had been the only one to catch on to and know about Dave's feelings toward JJ, but he had a sneaking suspicion that JJ had confided in Penelope and Emily about her feelings as well.

He was pretty sure Reid was asleep in the back seat, being the only one back there, and Garcia's head was asleep on Morgan's shoulder in the middle seat as Derek leaned his head back against the head rest and closed his eyes.

"So today was an eventful day wasn't it?" He asked the only other person still awake in the car.

"You can say that again" Emily replied. She and Hotch had been growing closer since her injury and New York and she'd noticed that he'd begun to be more open with her when he thought they were alone.

"It was nice to see them together though wasn't it?" He asked as he smiled one of his rare smiles. He remembered what it was like to be happy and have a new baby with someone.

"Yea it was. It's things like that, that make what we do worth it." Emily replied as they pulled into a parking space outside Garcia's apartment to drop the others off. "It helps me see that there's more out there than what we see everyday."

"Me too, Em. Me too." Hotch replied as they pulled away from the apartment complex after Morgan, Reid, and Garcia climbed out of the SUV and headed for their own homes. Dave hadn't been the only one with feelings for someone on the team, not that Hotch was ready to admit that yet. He was still healing after his divorce, but something about Emily Prentiss made him want to live again. Feel free again. Just be himself again.

--


	9. Coffee and Consequences

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Okay so #1...sorry this took so long to get out there. I think from now on the updates are going to be put up weekly, and probably on either Saturday or Sunday. I might be able to get one out on a Friday here and there but I'm not promising anything. Also I decided to add the NCIS guys in for one more part in the story because it seemed to flow better. Hopefully that'll make sense when you read the UnSub's part of the chapter. Also I'm aware that there is an important scene that you may feel you missed between Morgan and Garcia, but don't worry you haven't missed anything. They're going to have a long talk about what happens in the first part of the chapter and the JJ/Rossi relationship in the next chapter. I know I said this chapter, BUT hear me out. I'm using them talking about JJ/Rossi as part of a relationship building thing where they use JJ/Rossi as an example to if an inter-team relationship can work. So we'll see how that turns out. Also we'll be meeting the Commander and his wife in the next chapter and we'll learn what really happened with the UnSub and Christina. I'm going to start working on the next chapter ASAP, and my Cell Biology lab for Thursday this week was cancelled so I'll try my best to get it up either Thursday night or Friday sometime midday. You're also going to learn a bit more about Sam, Reid's 'girlfriend', in this chapter. She's going to have a pretty decent role as this thing plays out so I thought it best to introduce her now so you can get to know her as more that 'the girl who's sleeping with Reid'. lol :) Anyways...I think that's it. Thanks to all who reviewed last time! And please review this time too if you like the chapter! :)**

**Chapter Eight**

_"Decaffeinated coffee is kind of like kissing your sister." -Bob Irwin_

_--_

Penelope Garcia was so not a morning person. And now for some God awful reason her now ex-best friend Derek Morgan had managed to get her up thirty minutes earlier than she normally would just so they could stop and get coffee on the way to work. Okay so maybe he wasn't her ex-best friend, but why couldn't they have just had coffee at her apartment and slept in a little later?

"Okay sleepy head we're here" Derek said to his seemingly still sleeping best friend who had her seat leaned all the way back and her eyes closed. If it hadn't been for the fact that he noticed a slight head shake from her that was supposed to signify that she was going to stay and sleep in the car then he would've almost sworn she'd actually gone back to sleep. He knew he was already pushing his luck by getting her up early, but that didn't stop his fingers from inching toward her side to find her ticklish spot. She was going to kill him, but at least she'd be fully awake.

"Derek stop!" Penelope giggled when his fingers made contact with her side and started to tickle her in the one spot that could always get her to laugh. "Only on one condition Baby Girl" he told her as he shifted a little to lean more over her seat so he wouldn't accidentally knock the car out of park.

"Please! Derek!" she giggled again and tried to move away from his fingers "Okay! Okay! What do you want?" Penelope asked opening her eyes surprised at how close their faces had gotten. Apparently she wasn't the only one who was a little taken aback by their current position with him practically on top of her in the passenger side seat of his SUV because as soon her eyes opened his fingers stopped tickling her, and moved to brush some of her now messy hair out of her face.

"Well look who's awake" Derek said sweetly as he locked eyes with her, "I was wondering what I was going to tell Mo when she asked where you were this morning."

"Mo? Who's Mo...OH!" Penelope said as she registered where they were, "You brought us to Maureen's coffee shop?"

"Well it's your favorite isn't it?" Derek asked as he moved his hand to brace himself on her head rest.

Instead of responding verbally she took a chance and leaned up and kissed him on the lips quickly before jumping out of the car and making her way into the small coffee house leaving him somewhat stunned still sitting in the car.

--

To a normal person Steve Daniels looked like any other Navy Yard employee drinking his morning coffee at the on base coffee shop before work, the only thing that made him stand out from the rest was the twisted smirk that almost creepily played at his lips. It wasn't any coincidence that he was impersonating a Lt. Jesse Alexander this morning. He'd been watching _Jennifer's _friends apartment, the weird computer girl's, and he'd seen quite a few interesting things and they hadn't even known he was watching.

When they started to leave the first time he was tempted to follow them, but the old beat up truck he'd stolen wouldn't be able to out run them if they had realized he was following them. So he'd hung back and waited, even sleeping in the bed of the truck in the empty parking lot across the street from the weird girls apartments and waited. It wasn't until about ten thirty that he noticed any movement. This time it was another weird girl wearing all black who let herself into the computer chick's apartment to grab something and then closed and locked the door before getting back into the passenger side of a blue SUV. That meant she wasn't alone, someone had to be driving her right? As they pulled away the street light gave him a good look at the driver and what he saw excited him. He'd seen _him_ before!

The guy was in some of the pictures he'd taken of _Jennifer_ at various restaurants and bars. Was she dating him? The thought only caused anger to bubble up inside of him, so much so that he'd almost missed the obvious sticker on the back windshield of the Dodge SUV the man was driving. _NCIS _was written plainly in white lettering on the back windshield. A plan began forming in his mind as he watched the apartment's owner pull up with the rest of her FBI friends. The NCIS people hadn't looked like they were federal agents, but these five FBI brats could be spotted as G-Men miles away. The anger was back, and stronger than before at the sight of them. WHERE were they keeping his beloved _Jennifer?_ He need her! Why couldn't they see that?

The only good thing that came of seeing them was the fact that he'd managed to over hear the lanky teenage looking one mutter something about Little Creek and why did it have to be so far away. So that's where they were hiding her, huh? On a Naval base. Pretty impressive, he had to admit he'd never thought of looking for her there. Now all he had to do was get the NCIS guy to lead him right to her and then he'd have his precious _Jennifer _to play with how HE wanted, when HE wanted. The thought nearly drove him over the edge right there in the bed of the truck as he watched the last of the FBI bastards drive away.

On his way back to his hotel which was just off the interstate outside of Williamsburg he noticed a semi-drunken sailor who was stranded on the side of the road and the perfect plan formed in his head. Slowing down on the deserted four lane highway he was on he asked "Where ya headed?"

"Little Creek" the sailor mumbled as he kicked his overheating car.

"Headed that way, need a ride?" This was almost too easy.

"You sure you don't mind? The base has gotta be out of your way." The young naval officer replied as he moved to lean against the door frame of the truck.

"I'm headed to Norfolk to see my sister anyways" Daniels lied, "Besides my father taught me to respect all servicemen alike."

"Well if you're sure you don't mind I could really use that ride right about now. My cell phone died just outside of Richmond and there's no where around here with a pay phone."

"No, it's no problem. If I had a cell phone I'd let you use it but I don't. Sorry man." Daniels said as he opened the passenger side door and let uniformed Lieutenant hop inside.

When they'd reached the guy's on base apartment, Daniels had asked to use the bathroom and what happened next the poor sailor never saw coming. The real Lt. Jesse Alexander was still laying on his living room carpet in a pool of his own blood, while Daniels donned his uniform intent on following the NCIS agent right to his beloved _Jennifer._ His plan was working out better than he could've imagined it. Now all he had to do was wait...

--

"Sam are you sure about this?" Reid asked the woman sitting across from him in the Academy cafeteria.

"Spencer they're your friends so if you want to tell them about us you can, but I just think that we should. I mean we have been getting pretty serious these past couple weeks and there's still a chance that I could be..." She answered as pushed some of her long dark brown hair out of her face.

"I know, it's just..."

"Just what? Why don't you want them to know about us Spence?" Sam asked a little worried about what he was going to say. What if he was ashamed of her and that's why he didn't want to tell his friends? If that was the case then what was she going to do if she _was_ pregnant?

"It's just I don't want you to lose your internship with us because of our relationship. You know the rules Sam, and you know that there are other interns who'd almost kill for the internship with the BAU. They wouldn't hesitate to report you to Strauss if they thought it would get them to where you are" Reid answered as he sipped his second cup of coffee for the day. She still had another semester in law school to finish before she joined the FBI and he didn't want their relationship to mess that up for her. He knew she'd had to struggle to pay for school and he didn't want all her hard work to go to waste because of their relationship. He did want to be with her, but not if it cost her everything she always wanted. Besides her internship was supposed to be over in January anyways and then she'd go back to school in DC for only another four months. They could make it work...right?

"I know, I know. But what if I _am_ pregnant? What are _we_ going to do then? I mean I obviously can't apply to the FBI if I'm five months pregnant can I?" she asked as she nervously sipped her tea. It made her a little nervous meeting in the public cafeteria to talk about this, but he'd assured her that no one was ever there that early except him. And he was right, it was just the cafeteria workers and them.

"I don't know Sam. Would you want to keep the baby if you are pregnant?" Reid asked somewhat unsure about what she was going to say. They'd talked right after _it _happened that night without a condom, but this was one topic they hadn't covered. He hoped that she'd want to keep the baby, but he had to respect her wishes if she didn't. Besides kids always did have a hard time warming up to him, and he knew how it was to grow up without one of your parents. He didn't want that for his child, if there was even a child to be worrying about.

"Of course I'd keep it" she answered immediately as her hands went down to rest on her cotton covered stomach instinctively. Something Reid's profiler side didn't miss.

Relief spread through him at her words, "Me too. I just didn't want to pressure you into keeping it if you didn't want to. What if we just told one person until we know for sure in a week?"

"Okay, but who? Penelope?" Sam asked as she noticed a few of the other interns start to trickle into the cafeteria. They had to end this conversation and soon.

"If you want. But we should probably head upstairs Hotch wants us all in early" Reid answered as they got up from the table. He knew there were rumors about them and they didn't need those rumors to grow any larger than they already were. There was even a rumor going around that he and Sam were secretly married. Some people really had the wildest imaginations.

"Right. They're headed out to Fort Belvoir today aren't they?" Sam asked as she pressed the button for the elevator that would take them to the BAU's floor from the cafeteria.

"Yea. I think you'll be in JJ's office today since she won't be able to come in. JJ told me she had her intern, Stephanie I think, moved to another liason department because she kept snooping in her stuff so we'll probably need you sorting through case files with Garcia." Reid said as they kept the conversation on a professional pace while they moved into the elevator with several other Agents and headed up to the tenth floor.

--

Emily sat at her desk drinking her coffee out of her yellow polka dot mug that Garcia had given her. She knew she should be working on some of her back logged paperwork, but she couldn't help but notice Reid enter the bullpen with one of the female interns. "Morning Reid" Emily said as she got up and walked over to his desk and stuck out her hand to the intern he was with "Sam right?"

"Yes ma'am. Samantha Wallace" The girl replied as she shook her hand and Emily couldn't help but notice that the girl scooted a little closer to Reid as she introduced herself. Was it possible the rumors were true? Could Reid really be sleeping with an intern?

"Well it's nice to meet you Samantha. You can just call me Emily. What school are you from?" Emily asked politely. She'd have to talk to Morgan and Garcia about what she was seeing after she got a little more information.

"I'm a third year law student at George Washington, Agent Pren...Emily. I only have one semester left after I finish my internship in January." Emily could tell that Sam was nervous, but why? She'd seen her around the bullpen since October and she'd been holding her own with the guys. She'd even put Morgan in his place a few times, so what was making her so skittish now?

"Hey Emily are you in the field today?" Reid asked trying to stop Emily from profiling the situation with Sam.

"I'm just going with you guys to the Army base to talk to the Commander and his wife. I don't get my stitches out until the end of the week so I can't technically be in the field until then" Emily answered as she noticed Sam starting to look a little green. "Are you okay Sam? You don't look so good"

"I uh..I just don't feel well. Must have been the Chinese I had last night or something" the brunette intern answered and Emily had to admit the girl had a pretty good poker face. It was almost impossible to tell she was lying. If only she hadn't placed both her hands on her stomach at Emily's question. "How long?" Emily asked seriously looking back and forth between the two.

"Uh Emily what are you talking about?" Reid asked as Sam almost ran to the bathroom. Did morning sickness really start as early as two days in?

"Yea Em what _are _you talking about" Morgan asked as he and Garcia made their way over to them.

"Oh Em just figured out about Reid and Sam Hot Stuff" Garcia answered as Reid looked at her with his eyes widening.

"You knew?!" He asked incredulously.

"Of course I knew baby boy" Garcia answered as she started to walk out of the bullpen, "Now I'm going to check on our newest little momma."

Once she was gone both Emily and Morgan cornered their friend, "Reid what were you thinking man? She could lose her internship and you could get in some serious trouble with Strauss if anyone finds out about this" Morgan started only to be cut off by Emily.

"Shut up Derek" Emily said somewhat forcefully, "How far along is she Reid?"

"She may not even be pregnant Emily" Reid said somewhat nervously. He really hated it when they ganged up on him.

"When Reid?" Emily asked again in her no nonsense tone.

"Saturday afternoon" Reid answered he watched Garcia go into the Women's bathroom."Just keep it quiet okay? I don't want her to loose everything she's worked for because of one mistake. Not when there's still a chance that she may not be pregnant".

"We'll keep it quiet Reid, you know that" Emily started and Morgan nodded, "but what's the plan here? What happens if she does turn out pregnant?"

"Sssh! Keep your voice down!" Reid stage whispered when Strauss came out of Hotch's office. That was the last person who ever needed to find out about this relationship between him and Sam. "What's she doing here?"

"Not sure. Maybe she came to talk about JJ's case or something" Morgan answered as they watched Strauss head back to her office just as Garcia and Sam slipped into Garcia's bunker without being seen by the Section Chief.

"Yea maybe. Listen Reid it's not that I'm not happy for you" Emily started, "I just don't want either of you to get hurt".

"I know Emily. We've barely even been able to discuss everything yet. It's really only been TWO days" Reid answered as he sat down at his desk.

"Yea Em. Give the kid a break. At least until they know for sure" Morgan started still a little put off by Emily's dismissal of him only a few minutes before.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry for jumping down your throat like that" Emily said apologetically.

"It's okay Emily. I'm still freaking out myself" Reid answered as they all three got to work. _'So much for keeping this a secret'_ Reid thought as he started in on another long day.

--

"Morning" JJ said as she made her way out on the porch in her blue fleece robe with her coffee mug in hand.

"Hey, Morning. Why are you up so early?" Dave asked as he scooted over on the swing to let her sit down.

"Maggie woke me up with a little present" JJ said with a ironic smile, "You know I never really got that saying, but you know what I mean."

"Yea I know babe, she did that to me yesterday afternoon after her nap" Dave answered laughing.

"So what's got you up and dressed at seven in the morning" JJ asked as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"My brother Steven called and said some of your stuff came in on Saturday and that he was going to drop it off on his way to work this morning so I thought I'd wait out here for him. I was trying _not_ to wake you up, but it looks like Maggie had a different plan." Dave said a a hunter green SUV pulled up in front of the house and a man that could be a younger version of himself piled out with three boxes of clothes from various stores and online sites.

"Morning all!" Steven Rossi called as he made his way up the steps. "Molly put some of the smaller packages in the bigger box so you wouldn't have so much to carry in the house. Oh you must be the beautiful JJ we've been hearing so much about." he said as he put down the boxes in his hand and then put it out for her to shake.

"Only good things I hope" JJ said smiling as she shook his hand. "Thank you for bringing these things out to me this morning."

"It's no problem sweetheart" Steven said as he quickly hugged his brother, "Well I'm sorry to make this such a quick thing but I've really gotta be in Richmond a little after eight to meet with these people that we're bidding on a project with."

"Oh it's no problem, but you guys really should come out and have dinner with us one night soon" JJ said as Steven started making his way back to his car.

"Will do! Don't be strangers okay?" Steven asked hurriedly before hoping back in his car and driving off as quickly as he came.

"Well that was interesting" JJ said as she and Dave made their way back into the house with the clothing boxes, "I think that was the quickest visit I've ever had with anyone."

"Yea I know. He's always been the more energetic one in the family. With all that energy he still managed to become an architect though. Not really sure how." Dave answered as he sat the boxes down on the island in the kitchen for JJ to look through. "I'll go give Maggie her bath while you look through your stuff and then why don't we all go out to lunch later?"

"I think that sounds like a good plan babe." JJ said as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Well you know, I _do _have to treat my two best girls right." Dave said as he brushed some of her hair out of her face. He was just about to lean in for a more passionate kiss when Maggie started fussing over the baby monitor that was in the kitchen. "One bath coming right up" he said frustratedly as he kissed JJ's forehead and headed towards Maggie's room. Why did he get the feeling this was going to be a long day?


	10. Author's Note

Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that I am  working on this and it is almost done...however...the reason it's not posted is due to the fact that over the Halloween weekend I broke three out of the five fingers on my left hand in a mean, supposedly tag, football game when my brother decided it would be fun to tackle his baby sister. However, spending the night in the ER did give me time to think about Chapter Nine and plan it out in my head and so once I can type again with more than two fingers, or have someone type it for me...then it will be up! I have the day off from work tomorrow so I'm not promising anything, but I might can possibly have it up tomorrow being that my sister in law will be coming over for a movie day. :) So cross you're fingers! Anyways I hope everyone had a great Halloween and that none of them turned out like mine! lol...and again I apologize that it has taken me FOREVER to update.


	11. Charlie Niner, Take One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Okay so here it Part One of Chapter nine...the next part will be up this weekend! Thanks for all the concern about my hand too. :) you guys are amazing!**

**Chapter Nine Part One**

**----**

_"But they were all of them deceived..."-Lord Of The Rings_

The brusies on her body were fading, that was good right? It meant she was healing...Well at least on the outside. On the inside she was still bruised and battered, beaten down. The nightmares hadn't stopped either...they'd only grown in intensity. Each time more and more brutal. Was she ever going to be able to go back to the way she was?

Standing in the bathroom now, she remembers that case two years ago in Fredricksburg when the UnSub had turned out to be killing in his father's footsteps, and thinking of that case only reminds her of the conversation she'd had with Hotch about being jaded.

_"You okay?" Hotch asked as he walked over to where she was standing._

_"If you stop caring, you're jaded. If you care too much, it'll ruin you." JJ said sighing, she'd seen too many of these cases, and each one was just a little closer to home._

_"Just know that you did everything you could. Sometimes we get it right with a little luck, and most of the times we don't. That's the job. It's never perfect. It's still better to care." He supplied as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, he'd known she was struggling with this one before they even left Quantico._

_"You really believe that?" JJ asked as she turned to face him while the others got started taking a look at the most recent body dump._

_"I believe it's never perfect." Was his reply as they both put up their masks again and began working the case with the rest of the team._

She'd thought she was so jaded after that, she'd just seen too much not to be. But now, after this past week, she realized she was still a mere innocent to the true demons and evils of this world, at least until her attack. Now she'd give anything to go back...back to just thinking she was jaded and broken, instead of acutally being it. How had she let herself be decived...

----

"Now you wanna tell me what this is all about?" Penelope asked Sam as she closed and locked the door to her bunker behind them. She couldn't risk anyone walking in and word was that Strauss was making her rounds among the different departments today...

"Pen...I think I may have a problem..." Sam started as she wrapped her arms around her self, her light green sweater reminding her of how nauseated she felt.

"Well first sit down baby girl" Penelope instructed and waited til Sam did so before continuing, "Now tell me what's going on Angel."

"Umm...well...Spence and I, we may have...forgotten to use a condom this weekend..."Sam started, trying to explain what was happening to her new friend without clamming up completely. She'd never been one to share her feelings with others very well, her own mother had even accused her of always hiding behind a mask of "quick wit and a smile", and using her ability to get others to share with her instead of her opening up to them. Which, if you asked her mother, was Sam's greatest downfall.

"And?" Penelope prodded thinking that Sam was like Derek in the fact that she always played everything so close to the chest and if she pushed her too soon she'd close up on her and she'd never get her to talk to her. And this conversation was more than clarifying her suspicion.

"Well I made an appointment for next week at my doctor's in DC, but...." Sam started again as she felt another wave of nausea start. What was going on with her? "I'm already getting sick...how can a person get morning sickness after only two days Pen? It's just not possible..."

"Well maybe it's nothing...maybe it is just bad food or something, sweetie" Garcia said trying to comfort the lost looking woman in front of her, "But listen I was thinking of heading out to visit JJ in about an hour...would you like to go with me? Maybe get some fresh air? We're working together today and there's really nothing we can do until this guy shows back up on the radar..."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe it is just bad food..." Sam stated hopefully. As much as she liked Spencer, she just wasn't ready for a baby. If she was pregnant she'd be okay with it and they would work it out, but she almost hoped she wasn't...at least not yet. Maybe in a year or so if they continued seeing each other. Maybe. "You're sure you don't mind me tagging along?"

"Of course not...besides it'll do us both good to get a little change of scenery" Garcia replied as she patted her friend's knee, "Now you'd better go let Strauss know you're in this morning before she starts looking for you..."

"Right. Thanks Pen, I owe you" Sam said smiling the best smile she could manage as she left Garcia's bunker and headed for her boss's office. Five o'clock couldn't get there soon enough...

-----

Emily Prentiss was bored. She hadn't been on any active cases in over two weeks now and somehow she only managed to accumulate three in-house consultations in her off time, the last of which she was currently starting. At this rate she was going to be finished long before their noon appointment with the Commander. And then what was she going to do the rest of the week if she couldn't go in the field? She seriously needed a distraction, and soon....

----

By all appearances Derek Morgan looked to focusing on his paperwork, but appearances can be deceiving and if the truth were told Derek Morgan was anything, but focused on his paperwork. His mind was racing on the 'Garcia incident' as his subconscious had labeled it.

Why had Penelope kissed him at the coffee shop? Was it a friends kiss? A thank you kiss? Did it mean something? Did he want it to mean something? Did she? He'd most definitely kissed her back this morning, but was that just his body responding or did it mean he wanted something more with her?

Maybe he just needed to figure out how he felt out Penelope Garcia. His older sisters always told him that being in love meant missing someone when they're not around and always wanting to talk to that person -about anything and everything. Were those the only two criteria? If that was it then he was most definitely in love with his Baby Girl. He was even missing her right now and she was only twenty feet away in her office and her voice was the only thing that could bring him out of a funk almost instantly. Not even his own mother could do that.

They always seemed to connect on another level, too. She always knew just what to say to make the nightmares go away, or to make him realize that it was all going to be okay. She was always there for him day or night too....And when she'd been dating Kevin he had felt a certain special hatred for the guy during the length of that relationship...

He knew he was attracted to her...everything about her made him want her...but love? Was that what the butterflies in his stomach were trying to tell him when he though of her? Oh hell. How was he going to figure this out if he couldn't talk to her, his best friend, about it?

-----

"Hey Garcia!" JJ said as she tried to cheerfully answer the phone hoping her friend wouldn't notice her mood. "What's going on with the Goddess this morning?"

"Little Mama you know it's too early for me to have anything going on" Penelope answered her friend as she yawned, "So listen I was wondering if it would be okay if I came out and visited you this morning?"

"Oh umm...okay Dave can just have some daddy daughter time with Maggie while we catch up." JJ said as she laid down on the bed.

"Jayje if you have plans Sam and I can think of something else to do to get out of the office for awhile...besides are you sure it's safe for you to be alone right now?"

"No, no it's okay. Besides they really haven't had a lot of time to spend together yet. And I won't be alone Pen, he won't leave until you get here and there are two sets of agents patrolling the edge of the property...AND we are on a Naval Base..." JJ replied as she turned on her side, "Who's Sam?"

"She's one of the interns."

"SHE? The one who's always with Reid? So the rumors are true, huh? The only reason you'd bring her with you all the way out here would be if you wanted to get her alone so you could get her to spill all the information...I know you Penelope Garcia." JJ said laughing at her friends antics.

"Well, there's that. And there's also something else..." Garcia started hesitantly. Well, it was okay, she decided, JJ was going to find out soon enough.

"Uh oh. I also know that tone. What's going on?"

"Let's just say you may not be the only little mama on the team in a few months..."

"You mean she's pregnant!??! By Reid!?!? Oh. My. God."

"Now hold on, Jayje. We don't know anything yet...it's only been two days, but she has been pretty sick..."

"But isn't that really early? I mean there really isn't even a baby after only two days..."

"I know, I know. Anyways Strauss is making her monthly invasions today so I thought I'd rescue her for awhile, ya know?"

"Yea definitely. So I'll see you around noon?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay bye Pen." JJ said as she ran a hand through her hair, her mind racing as it tried to process this new bit of information. Reid, a daddy? No Way...

"Bye Angel and kiss Maggie for me!"

"I will Garcia! Now go before YOU get in trouble with Strauss for taking personal calls at work..."

"Okay, okay I'm going! Bye!"

"Bye Pen!" JJ said smiling as she hung up. Somehow Penelope Garcia always knew the right thing to say to cheer her up. She only hoped that she did the same for her friend when she needed it.


	12. Charlie Niner, Take Two

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: So here's part two of chapter nine! Hope you like it! :) **

**Chapter Nine, Part Two**

_"The Game is up."-William Shakespeare, "Cymbeline"_

_----_

Pain seared through JJ's side as she drifted in and out of consciousness. _God, how had she managed to get run over by a truck in her own house? _Why couldn't she move her arms? She vaguely registered someone screaming- no she knew that voice, it was Penelope Garcia. Her best friend. There was also another woman crying...but why? And why did it smell like pennies in here?

Suddenly a very male voice spoke and all the memories of the day came rushing back to her like a ton of bricks, "Scream all you want bitch, there's no one here to hear you.."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!!" Penelope screamed as she watched Daniels yank JJ by the hair so she was laying on her side facing him.

JJ did her best not to wince as he pulled on her hair violently, she could feel the blood soaking her shirt and her logical mind registered that if it was all hers, then she would die soon if they didn't get help. She'd already lost too much blood to try and fight Daniels off alone. "What...Wh..What do you...want?" JJ asked as sternly as she could in her current state, but everyone in the room could tell that she was fading..and fast.

After all she got was a cold, cruel laugh in answer she felt the hope of getting out of this alive leave her. But maybe she could save Sam and Penelope...

Her laptop was up and running in the next room over, the kitchen, so if she could just create a distraction maybe Sam could sneak away unnoticed from her position on the floor. All she and Penelope had to do was keep his attention focused long enough for Sam to send out a HELP! message to the team.

_"But how am I going to tell them my plan?" _JJ thought, _"OH! Sam speaks Spanish...I'll just say what I can in Spanish and hope the UnSub doesn't understand...please don't let him figure this out.."_

"Atención cocina mandar mensaje equipo" JJ yelled which only cause the UnSub to pull her hair more, "What'd you say you little whore?" Daniels asked.

"SHE SAID TO LEAVE HER ALONE" Penelope screamed at him to let JJ know they understood her plan and her message, as Sam started working on her restraints around her wrists, surprised to find them already fairly loose.

"And who asked you, freak?" Daniels said in a sneer, never taking his eyes off his prize. Little did he he know that his tunnel vision towards JJ allowed the tall brunette in the corner to slip away unnoticed.

"OUR TEAM WILL NEVER LET YOU GET OUT OF THIS ALIVE! THEY WILL SAVE US!" Penelope yelled again trying to keep his attention for as long as she could to give Sam as much time as possible. However her plan backfired because for the first time Daniels spun around to face her.

"Is that so bitch?" he spat out, "Maybe you didn't hear me when I said I 'took care' of those lovely men outside patrolling the area...WAIT A MINUTE! Where'd she go!?!" Daniels demanded once he noticed Sam was missing.

"WHERE'D WHO GO YOU BASTARD?" Penelope yelled as he let go of JJ and started to make his way towards the kitchen as he pulled the long bloody knife he'd used on JJ from his jeans. She only hoped her scream would alert Sam to go out the back door before Daniels got there.

"I think it's time for you to be quiet..." he said as he struck her with the knife hitting her right below her throat, effectively silencing both her and JJ.

"Now, where'd you get off to my pretty?" Daniels said humorously as they all heard the sound of an instant message being sent out and then a horrible loud beeping noise start. "DAMN IT! Why'd you have to go and do that my little pet? We could've had so much fun." he said as he rounded the door to the kitchen narrowly missing a frying pan to the head and instead weaving a little to the right and pushing the knife directly into Sam's stomach- not once, but twice.

He barely even had time to stand up though before a bullet hit him square in the chest that would most certainly prove to be a kill shot. Surprise clearly shown on his face as he turned with his last bit of strength to see his killer and find that it was his last and most favorite plaything. _Jennifer _had shot him. He vaguely wondered how she'd gotten her hands free as they both collapsed on the ground, all four of them now unconscious and closer to bleeding out by the minute...

----

"Thank you for meeting with us today" Emily said as she, Hotch, Reid, and Morgan sat down in the Commander's living room. "We know that this can't be easy for you, bringing all this up again."

"Thank you for you're kindness Agent Prentiss, but we'd do anything we possibly could to keep something like what happened to our Christina from happening to anyone else" the Commander's wife, Melissa answered.

"We understand" Hotch answered taking the lead of the conversation, "What can you tell us about your daughter around the time she disappeared?"

"I only remember that she stayed up in her room a lot after she lost the baby, she was so depressed. Even though she was upset about who the father was, I really believe she wanted that baby more than anything." Melissa answered again as she took a sip of water to calm her nerves.

"What do you mean 'upset with who the father was'? She didn't want Sgt. Daniels to be the father?" Derek asked from his position by the window in the room.

This time it was the Commander himself who answered, "No sir, she didn't. Earlier in the year, which would've been the start of their relationship even though we didn't know it, she started coming home with bruises on her arms and back. We questioned her about it, but she said she'd gotten them doing stunts with the cheer-leading squad during tryouts. She'd never lied to us before so we didn't think anything else of it until Melissa walked in on her changing one day and noticed one the shape of a hand on Christina's chest... I'm sorry, I don't mean to get emotional" the Commander said as he wiped away a few tears, "Anyways when her mother asked her about it she finally told us everything about their relationship and that she suspected she was pregnant. So..."

"So I bought her a test from a store off base because I didn't want rumors going around about her being pregnant if she wasn't. People can be vicious sometimes" Melissa started, "Well as you already know the test came out positive so I made her a doctor's appointment for the following day to confirm it. They told her she was about ten weeks along and gave her some prenatal vitamins."

"Did she tell you he was the father then or afterwards?" Reid asked from his seat beside Emily on the leather sofa in the Hillcrest's living room.

"Not until later that night when I found her sobbing in her room upstairs. I thought she was upset about the baby, but she told me it wasn't the baby just who it's father was." Melissa answered again, "As soon as she told me, Jon and I sent the MP's over to his apartment, but he wasn't there. When he tried to get back on base a week later they intercepted him at the gate, but since he'd been on approved leave to attend his mother's funeral for the week he'd been missing they couldn't hold him for very long. The most that anyone could do was get him transferred to another base for the last few months of his enlistment."

"Where did they send him?" Emily asked as she shifted a little on the couch.

"Fort Detrick in Maryland"

"And how long between that time and when she lost the baby?" Emily questioned again.

"About a month. The doctor's said she probably miscarried due to an overload of stress and high blood pressure. Of course, that made her even more depressed because the she felt like losing the baby was her fault." Melissa answered sadly, "She went missing about a week later."

"We apologize for your loss" Emily answered with as much feeling as she could, she knew reliving this couldn't be easy. Especially since their daughter's body had yet to be found.

"It's not your fault what that bastard did to our sweet little girl" Melissa said forcefully. "You're just doing your job."

"Do you have any other..." the Commander started only to be cut off by four cell phones ringing.

"We apologize, Commander and Mrs. Hillcrest. It seems in our haste to come over here this morning we've all forgotten our manners" Hotch answered as politely as he could, "Thank you for your time this afternoon, but we really must get going, you understand?"

"Of course" Melissa and the Commander both answered as the walked the FBI agents towards the door and said their good byes.

Once outside the four agents piled into their SUV and each one paled a little as they read the text message they'd recieved before speeding off towards Little Creek. Each one left with the words of the shortened text message burned in their minds as they all prayed they weren't too late.

The text message read...**"HELP!! JJSP AT ROSSI'S! UNSUB HOLDING US CAPTIVE! HAS WEAPON! HURRY!"**

**BTW: JJ says "Attention send message to team" or something fairly close to that in Spanish. :) Don't forget to Review please!**


	13. Thready and Faint at Best

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: OKAY 1. sorry this is oh so short! 2. this is just a filler chapter and the next one will be a two parter dealing with the ongoing struggle to keep these three brave women alive. 3. I am absolutely not happy with this chapter, but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer...so just over look it if you can. I know it isn't my best, anywhere near it. 4. thanks for reading it anyways.**

**Chapter Ten**

David Rossi sat on a bench in a coffee shop cuddling his well bundled up daughter to his chest as they watched the people around them mull about their daily lives. He'd missed JJ today, but he'd understood that she wanted to spend time with her friends and he'd really enjoyed his daddy-daughter time with Maggie. Even if she wasn't really old enough to do anything.

He'd taken her to lunch at his Aunt and Uncle's restaurant across town so they could meet her and spend time with her while he ate, then he took her on a walk around downtown Norfolk after he safely bundled her up and placed her in the carrier that strapped to his chest that JJ had insisted they buy. At first Maggie had been wide-eyed as her daddy began explaining the different landmarks and artifacts they encountered, but after only thirty minutes she'd sweetly fallen asleep, so he had decided it was time to get her back inside and stopped inside the first coffee shop they passed with couches to sit on while they started to warm up.

He now sat watching the people interact in the small Starbucks, his profiling skills in full form. The young guy and girl at one of the tables in the front did their best to give off that 'just friends' vibe, but it was obvious to Dave's eyes that at least one of them wanted more, much more. The sweet old lady and her husband holding hands and drinking coffee in the back corner looked to be happy, but they worry lines and tired eye creases on the woman made him wonder otherwise. The little boy begging his mother for a brownie just to be noticed by the young mom who was too busy flirting with the guy behind the counter as the female barista looked on and frowned. It was the female employee who took pity on the young boy and gave him the brownie for free when his mother failed to notice him after a few minutes, and then berated her coworker for his actions once the mother and son had gone. Dave wondered if she was a victim of that same type of abuse as the young boy was....

He sat there for a good two hours while Maggie slept after he'd fed her a bottle for lunch and it wasn't until his phone began to ring signaling a call from Hotch that he decided it was time to go after he talked to his friend being that it was now nearing three in the afternoon.

"Hey Hotch..."

------

"The paramedics are meeting us there" Hotch said as Derek raced through the base entrance of Little Creek with the MP's following closely behind before slamming the car to a halt in Dave's driveway as they piled out of the car poised to enter the house.

"FBI!! JJ, WE'RE COMING IN!" Morgan yelled as he entered the now kicked down door quickly followed by Reid, Hotch, and the MP's while Emily stood guard on the porch waiting for the all clear due the fact that her arm was still in a sling.

As they rounded the front entryway Hotch sent the MP's to clear the house as he, Reid, and Morgan fought to control the anger and bile that was beginning to rise up in their throats at the sight before them.

Penelope was still tied up in the chair, he head bobbing to the side with an unmistakable blood trail running down the middle of her light purple dress. JJ was face down in the middle of the room with blood all around her tiny body, her clothes torn and shredded and the gun she'd used to kill Daniels still rested in her hand. Directly across from her lay the UnSub, his body twisted as if he had fallen while trying to get a glimpse of his killer, blood pooled around his chest. A foot stuck out around the doorway from the living room, which they were now in, with a broke brown heel attached to it, both covered in drops of blood that contrasted sickly with the pale white skin of the woman the foot belonged to, the rest of her body in the kitchen. Sam lay in the kitchen, the last of the four, on her back with her hands splayed out over her stomach, obviously trying to stop the bleeding as it soaked through her clothes.

It took them all of five seconds to realize none of them were moving. "Oh God..." Reid pressed out, wide-eyed at the scene before him as he forced himself not to vomit.

"Reid, check the victim in the kitchen for a pulse! Morgan and I will do the same for Penelope and JJ! NOW!" Hotch bombed loudly, the fear obvious in his voice. Blood was everywhere, and lots of it. There was almost no hope that anyone was alive.

Reid nodded as he ran into the kitchen and paled at the sight in front of him, "Sam!" he gasped as his shaking fingers leaned down and pressed themselves to her neck to find a weak and fading pulse. "Hotch! She's still alive!" Reid yelled into the other room as the paramedics ran into the large kitchen followed by Emily and started working on his girlfriend. All he could do was hold onto the table for support as he watched them wheel her out on a gurney, telling Emily they would try their best, but it didn't look good. It wasn't until after the medics left that he threw up in the near by trashcan. How had this happened?

With Reid in the kitchen Hotch quickly and skillfully located JJ's thready pulse and motioned for the medics to wheel her out as well before going over to finish off the UnSub if he wasn't dead, which he was. Ironically, death was probably the most merciful thing that could've happened to Steve Daniels after the ordeal JJ, and now Penelope and Sam had been through. Hotch knew that if Daniels hadn't been dead he would've wished for it by the time the team finished with him.

Derek Morgan never cried, ever, but seeing his baby girl all tied up and bleeding caused him to lose it. He was barely able to free her arms and legs and check her wrist for a pulse, his own heart beating again when he felt the faint thumping of hers. His baby girl with the last one rolled out with her own team of medics as the three ambulance's raced toward the base hospital. Derek realized in that moment that he was in love with his best friend, his baby girl. He couldn't lose her now, not yet. He barely even registered Emily leading him and Reid from the house and into the SUV, the MP's taking over the scene, or Hotch calling Rossi as they drove to the hospital. All they could do now was wait...


	14. The Clock Is On The Wall

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything else you recognize.**

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who reviewed the last part!!! Here's chapter eleven! Hope you like it!...and as always Please Review!**

**Chapter Eleven**

_"Even at our birth, death does but stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh."-Robert Bolt_

**-----**

**Four hours later....**

It felt like they had been there for days instead of hours, and all they could do was wait. Each team member that remained unscathed was left feeling useless as the doctors did their best to save the lives of three of the most important people in the lives of the small BAU family. The waiting room of George Washington Hospital had already been crowded when they'd arrived, but now it was over flowing with agents from multiple agencies, police officers, technical analysts, sailors, Marines, and even janitors who were waiting for news on JJ, Sam, and Penelope and praying for their well being as well.

With little room left to sit, not that it really mattered anyways, Hotch had spent the entire time pacing the white linoleum flooring, as if he could figure out a way to fix everything again. That was his job, he was always the one who fixed problems, big and small, and without that ability he now felt completely and utterly helpless. They were all at the mercy of Fate as she decided who lived and who died, even if not in the literal sense.

Reid was left to curl up in something that resembled the fetal position in one of the hard plastic chairs, silent tears running down his cheeks. He could barely believe that earlier in the day he'd been worried about if he was going to become a father or not, and if his girlfriend was going to lose her internship. Now, that seemed so stupid and pointless to him as his girlfriend fought just to be able to breathe without machines again or live without life support.

David Rossi sat in the floor, his back propped up against the arm rest of one of the few love seat type furniture pieces in the room. His face devoid of all emotion, his mind frozen, and his body in something that greatly resembled catatonia. His own life dependant on the outcome of what happened to the woman he'd become so in love with, Jennifer Jareau, and whether she lived or died.

Emily Prentiss was nothing if not a master compartmentatlist. Her own face one of a comforter for her friends as they waited for the inevitable. The only outward sign that she was even remotely worried was her constant picking and rearranging of the baby blanket that covered the tiny little baby cuddled to her chest. Maggie was the only one with the ability to sleep at all until more news was heard regarding the condition of her mother and her "aunts".

Derek Morgan was the only memeber of the team who'd even remotely left the ER waiting room. Now, he was pacing his own path on the linoleum as he muttered quiet prayers and clutched the small cross pendant he'd bought from the gift shop in his palm. With each second that ticked away on the clock that was placed above Emily's head his heart died a little more, knowing that the more time they spent in surgery the chance of losing them grew even larger.

The other agents, police officers, techs, sailors, Marines, even down to the last janitor that was present in support sat just as restless as the five waiting members of the BAU as the hours passed. Each hoping that God would spare the lives of the three women currently hanging in the go between between of life and death.

Another hour ticked by, each second longer than the next, each minute more unbearable that the previous. Almost like a stalemate between death and time itself. Could the Fates have finally cut the fatal thread?

Each time the doors to the surgery wing would open whoever was pacing would stop, the nervous and the emotionless would have life for a breif moment, and the fidgiting would stop until realization hit that it wasn't time yet. Those doors weren't opening for them.

"Excuse me everyone! Can someone tell me who's here for a Samantha Wallace?" a random doctor asked as she suddenly appeared in front of the room and five bodies almost ran towards her to hear what she had to say.

"I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner with the FBI. We're the ones here with Miss Wallace. What can you tell us about her condition?" Hotch asked solemnly once he made sure that everyone was present in the circle around the doctor, especially Reid.

"Are you her boss?" the doctor asked, "It's hospital policy to only give out information to family or if in law enforcement, the patient's direct supervisor."

"Miss Wallace is an intern with my unit, ma'am. I'm her direct supervisor in the Unit, but like the rest of us, she also reports to the Section Chief."

"Is your Section Chief here?" the doctor asked looking around, after getting a negative answer she continued, "Okay then first off I'm Doctor Rebecca Dodd and I operated on Miss Wallace earlier this evening. I can tell you that while she lost a lot of blood, we were able to stabilize her long enough to sew up the wound in her abdomen. We've also given her two blood transfusions so far, and we'll be administering one more before the night is over. At the moment she is stable and we expect her to make a full recovery. We've moved her to a private room...umm room 322, which is in our ICU, but she should be into a regular room by morning provided things run smoothly tonight. You are all welcome to visit her, but please don't stay too long. She's already exhausted and she needs her rest."

"Thank you Dr. Dodd" Hotch said greatfully as he shook the young doctor's hand before she left to work on another paitent. "Reid?"

"Yea Hotch?" Reid said, hope refilling his face a little at the news of Sam's survival.

"I want you to go stay with her. We'll be by as soon as we hear more information on JJ and Penelope."

"No, Hotch. I want to know if JJ and Garcia are okay...I _need _to know..." Reid started, torn between his friends, who were more like sisters, and his girlfriend.

"Reid I promise I'll call you as soon as we know...anything. Good or bad." Morgan promised, the sound of his voice startling the small cluster of BAU agents.

"Okay...let me know as soon as you know...please." he stressed as he made his way to the elevator and as soon as he was out of sight everyone returned to their former positions. They had worked once, why not again?

Another hour gone...then another....and then "Penelope Garcia?" an older doctor wearing burgundy scrubs asked as he wiped the small bit of sweat from his forehead.

Morgan practically ran him over as an answer as the others approached him tentatively. While he didn't have the "look" that was usually present after losing a patient, he didn't have the "look" you had when they were going to make a full recovery either. Or at least one that wouldn't take some time.

"I assume one of you is Derek Morgan?" the doctor asked and Morgan nodded vigorously, "Okay since your Agent Garica's medical proxy I can give _you_ the update on her condition. I'm Doctor Oswald Messer and I just finished operating on Agent Garcia about half an hour ago. What I can tell you for certain is that she is going make it" the doctor announced and then paused as a sigh of relief passed through the people in front of him, "_But_...her vocal chords _were_ heavily damaged when the knife entered her throat and then when it was hastily removed it moved upward and nicked her mandible....that is the jaw bone..."

"So what are you saying man?" Morgan asked impatiently.

"I'm saying that her voice is wait and see at the moment. We were able to repair most of the damage, and at worst she'll sound like she's about to lose her voice when she talks and at best it will become at least more quiet that your probably used to. It will hurt for her to talk, probably for at least six months or so...so I'm going to recommend that she maybe take a sign language class or some other form of communication that doesn't involve using her throat very much. The less she talks now the better because it will give her vocal chords time to heal and the bone in her jaw time to grow back. I do apologize that this isn't better news..."

"No, thank you. May we see her?" Hotch asked when he noticed Derek's eyes glass over at the news that Penelope may never be able to talk to him like she normally did ever again. A long road to recovery was in front of not just Garcia, but Morgan as well.

"Of course. Just as soon as she is moved into a room I'll have the nurse let you know, but please be aware that we have her sedated until morning due to the nature of her surgery. One of you may stay the night if you wish."

"We understand, thank you Dr. Messer." Hotch replied as the old man walked away, "Derek you go and stay with Penelope. Prentiss will join you once we've heard about JJ."

"What? Oh okay Hotch. Thanks." Morgan said as he ran a hand over his face.

A young nurse approached Morgan as Hotch made his way back over to were Prentiss and Dave were already reseated with Maggie, and resumed pacing the floor. "I assume you're the one staying with Agent Garica?"

"Yes." Morgan said simply as he was led away to the third floor, his mind racing about the news the doctor had just given him.

Another hour ticked on, Maggie was fed and changed...The sun started to rise and with it came the last of the doctors, this one looking exhausted, but hopeful..."Jennifer Jaraeu?"

The remaining three agents gathered around him with Dave in a rare moment of weakness as he held onto Hotch's arm as the doctor spoke, "I'm Doctor Barry Mitchell and I'm the Head of the Trauma Unit here at GW Hosptial. I can tell you that we do have Agent Jareau stable for the moment, however she isn't out of the woods yet. If, after twenty four hours, she remains stable then we will be able to re-access her situation from there. In my opinion if she makes it through the next twenty four hours we should be expecting a full recovery. The main problem is the amount of blood loss she endured and the multiple deep lacerations on her body. I'm sorry I can't give you better news, but it's all up to Agent Jareau now if she wants to survive...it's going to be one hell of a fight, but she_ has_ survived this long. With that in mind I assume one of you will be staying the night incase anything changes?"

"Absolutely" Dave answerd as he took Maggie from Emily. "Please, take me to her..."


	15. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds and it won't fit in my stocking. :( **

**A/N: Here's chapter twelve. I know I said 11 would be a two parter, but I changed my mind. Also, this is finals week so it may be about the sixteenth before the next post. Sorry! Also...I'm hoping to have Sam give her statement in the next one so we can see what really happened. :) Hope you like this and Happy Holidays!**

**Chapter 12**

_"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls. The most massive characters are seared with scars."-Khalil Gibran_

_------_

Morning ticked by slowly as they waited for any outward signs of life to appear from the three women. Hotch spent the rest of the morning at the crime scene barking orders to the CSIs, Emily took Maggie from Dave and slept a few hours at the hotel across the street, Dave stayed with JJ in her room with tears free flowing from his eyes, Morgan sat by Penelope's bed holding a silent vigil, and Reid was currently staring out the window of Sam's room with his arms wrapped around himself.

-----

There was something scratchy against her wrist, the soft smell of lilac permeated her nostrils, and oddly enough she was warm. Was this heaven? Was she dead?

Groaning a little as she fights her way back to consciousness, a warm hand slips into her own, and the voice she hears encouraging her helps her realize this isn't heaven after all. "Spencer?" she croaks, her throat extremely sore as she struggles to get her eyes completely open.

"Hey there..." a soothing voice answered as she felt her hair being brushed out of her eyes, "I was wondering when you were going to wake up."

With her eyes fully open she can finally see the man in front of her and take in his soft brown eyes, sharp jaw, and lopsided, but caring smile. "Wha...What...Hap..pend?" she manages to say before he gives her a few ice chips to soothe her throat.

"You, Garcia, and JJ were attacked yesterday, remember?" he asks softly in an even voice that is very uncharectoristic of him. Something about her always was able to calm him.

A lone tear falls from her eye as she nods, the memories of that horrible afternoon coming back in waves. "Pen?...JJ?" she squeaks and then coughs a little before settling down.

"They both made it through surgery, but other than that it's still wait and see. You're the first one awake for now, but I need to go tell the nurses your awake, okay? I'll be right back."

"O...Okay." she whispered, watching his retreating figure as he left the room.

-------

Her throat hurt like hell, she felt like someone had poured acid down it as she tried to make a small noise to alert her Angelfish that she was awake. Giving up on saying anything, she used the last bit of her strength to run her hand over his head as it rested on her bed. Normally she would be thrilled that he was at least trying to get some rest, but now it was time to wake up. Panic was building in her chest because of the feeling of her throat and she needed answers. Now.

When he finally started to stir she let her exhausted arm fall back down to the bed, and it was a few seconds before he registered that she was awake. "Hey Mama" he said excitedly as he sat back up in the chair and slid his warm hand gingerly into hers. "Don't try and talk okay? The said it would hurt for a while." Seeing her nod he continued, "Do you remember what happened yesterday?" a look of sad recognition crossed her face as she nodded again, "Sam's going to be okay, Reid's staying with her. JJ...they said they would know more in a couple hours. They were hopeful though..."

Tears fell down her face as she proccessed the news about her best friend. She and JJ had been close since JJ's first day with the BAU, at the time they were the only two girls and they clicked almost instantly.

"Hey..Hey sweetness don't cry. She's going to be fine, don't worry." Morgan whispered as he wiped her tears from her cheeks, "We're all going to get through this, I promise."

-------

"Is it weird to miss something that was never really there?" Sam asked tearfully as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. "I...I thought I would be relieved if we weren't pregnant, but now..."

"Now you wish we were. I know....me too." Reid answered truthfully as he sat on the bed and snuggled her as best he could with her stitches, "I think we both wanted the pregnancy, even if we didn't realize it."

"I guess everything that's happened just made me realize what's important...ya know? I...I really wish we were..." she whispered as the first few tears began to fall.

"I know, sweetheart." he answered soothingly, his own heart breaking, "Maybe we can try again. I mean if you want, and after you finish school....That is if you want to wait before you apply to the FBI and...."

"Spencer!" Sam yelled, interrupting him, "I would love to try again...just as long as its with you."

"Really?" he asked hopefully, trying not to appear skeptic of her answer.

"Really" Sam said whole heartily as she pulled him down into a soft, but passionate kiss.

-------

This couldn't be heaven. Surely, God wouldn't put in her in a hard bed with itchy sheets...Right?

Groaning slightly, she felt something sticking out of her arm. As her eyes fluttered open they were met with a pair of brown ones that matched her own in intensity, "Dave?"

"Oh thank God." Dave whispered thankfully as he squeezed her hand, "Hey there sweetheart...You had me worried there for a second."

"Sorry" she said scratchily, "Mag..Maggie?"

"She's with Emily, babe. Do you remember what happened to you yesterday?" he prodded, wondering if God could grant him this one last favor, that she be able to keep her memories.

"Ye..Yes." she whispered and paused to suck on a few ice chips before continuing, "How's Sa..Sam...? Pen..?"

"Reid called a while ago to let me know Sam was awake and Morgan said Penelope woke up about an hour ago. Both will be okay, but Garcia's voice is a little worse for wear."

"I..I'm...glad...they're...okay..." she started with a look of relief across her features. "Dan..Daniels...did..I kill..him?"

"Yes." Dave answered solemnly as he looked her in the eyes.

"Good" she said softly. She knew this would hit her, but right now she was glad that the man that had terrorized her was finally gone.


	16. Lean On Me

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: This is going to be the final chapter for this one. I have no idea why I suddenly lost inspiration on how to continue it further, but I may start a sequel later if I find the my runaway JJ/Rossi muse again. Anyways, I guess it's so long, and fairwell to this story! Hope you all like the ending...and if any of you would like to pick up where this left off or use any of my ideas or my OC Sam Wallace just let me know and make sure to credit me at the beginning of your story. :) Thanks again to everyone who's kept up with this story and reviewed it! A million thank yous!**

**Chapter 13**

_The future is not a gift - it is an achievement.- Harry Lauder_

-----

Two years later....

"Good morning everyone." Aaron Hotchner started as he stepped up to the podium in the medium sized auditorium on Quantico's ever growing campus. "And welcome to the graduation of the first class of FBI Agent's to graduate in the year 2010."

Applause erupted in the room that was completely packed of people, the loudest of which was coming from a row of six people Aaron Hotchner knew very well, as did one of the graduates. His oldest friend in the Bureau, David Rossi, sat next to his new wife, his hand resting on JJ's pregnant, but still flat stomach. Next to the blonde media liaison sat Emily Prentiss, Hotch's own fiancee and the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. Derek came next, a mess of tiny blonde curls lay sleeping on his shoulder. Baby Stella Grace was the best thing to have happened to her father--by his own admission. Penelope Garcia-Morgan sat next to her husband and Stella's father holding his hand tightly. Her voice had improved ten fold, and though it still wasn't what it once was, she still teased her husband like nothing had changed. At the end was the youngest of them all, Spencer Reid, holding his one year old son Nathan in his lap who was clapping his hands cheerfully for his mommy who sat in the cluster of graduates.

When the room quieted down a little he continued his speech, "I was asked to give this speech today by a very close friend who, I am happy to say, is among today's graduating class. When I first met Samantha Reid she was an intern within my own unit, and now I am happy to be attending her graduation from the agency we, and our families, both now belong too. When I sat down to write the speech for today, I realized that you don't want to sit there and listen to me give a boring speech. You've all just made it through one of the toughests academies in the world, so I would only like to leave you with one small piece of information. Never doubt yourself or your decisions, and trust your own judgement. You will all know what I mean when you experience the first case that hits a little too close to home, and I hope you will take my advice to heart when the time comes. Now, without further delay Deputy Director Pistole will call you up to receive your badge and weapon. Congratulations everyone!"

"Thank you Agent Hotchner" a short, but firey red headed man said as he stepped up to the glass podium. "Our first graduate in today's ceremony is Warren Acocella. He is also the Valedictorian of this graduating class."

New Agent after New Agent graced the stage, taking the oath to protect innocent lives above all else, until one last person remained. "The last graduate of today's graduation is Special Agent Samantha Reid. She has been offered a position in our Washington D.C. office and has graciously accepted the offer. Congratulations Agent Reid."

***************************************************

"Sam! Sam, over here!" Emily shouted when she saw Sam exit the building with the fifty other new Special Agents.

"Hey, thanks for coming you guys. It means a lot to Spencer and I." Sam said smiling as she approached the group and took her squirming son from his father.

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world, sweet cheeks!" Penelope added, her happy demeanor still present with the softness of her voice. "Besides, this is what family does. We support each other."

"She's right" JJ agreed, but not before her stomach growled loud enough for the entire team to hear. Smiling sheepishly she added, "Sorry guys. It seems like Peanut is always hungry these days."

Laughing Morgan spoke up, "I think it's more like JJ's always hungry these days, silly girl."

"Derek Morgan!" Penelope chided and all four women smack him on the arm, "I can't believe you just said that to a pregnant woman."

"What? Look, I'm sorry JJ, but Peanut's only the size of a walnut. My little niece or nephew doesn't even know what food is yet." Morgan defended as he pulled his keys from his pocket. "But I'm not one to turn down the offer of food. Chinese okay with you Special Agent Reid?"

"Sounds good to me as long as Spence remembers to ask for a fork this time. I had egg noodles in my hair for three days after last time."

"Reid, I can't believe you still can't use chopsticks after all this time." Derek teased, and Hotch nodded in agreement.

"Hey in my defense I have been practicing!" Reid added in defense of himself as they all headed towards the parking lot.

"Sure Reid. Maybe I'll take you with me when my book comes out in China next month and I have to go sign a few copies." Rossi mused, "You'll have to use them then, or starve."

"Oh thanks for the offer Dave, but I don't want Nathan to grow up with out his father." Sam added and they all laughed. It was nice to see that no matter what happened to them, rain or shine, they always had each other--for better or worse. The song that filled each SUV as they pulled out of the large Quantico parking lot fit their bond perfectly--_"Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend...I'll help you carry on....For it won't be long, til I'm gonna need...Somebody to lean on..."_


End file.
